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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697415">Blood in the Valley</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimurasato/pseuds/kimurasato'>kimurasato</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>90s AU, M/M, Supernatural Elements, vampire, vampire Terry Silver, werewolf Johnny Lawrence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:47:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>89,166</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimurasato/pseuds/kimurasato</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the ’85 tournament, Daniel ran, and he has been running ever since. But after a decade, he is tired of constantly being on the move and looking over his shoulder. He just wants to settle down and live his life in peace. But, of course, the past has a way of catching up to him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>370</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>165</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, what can you tell me?” Daniel leaned back in his seat, a high back chair with a plush velvet cushion, as he eyed the woman on the other side of the table. Cards were laid out between them, each displaying different artwork, but he didn’t bother to look at them. Her brown eyes remained focused on the cards. Her fingers decorated with heavy rings ghosted over them as her mouth pressed thin.</p>
<p>“Tell me. How many others have you seen before me?” She lifted her eyes to him.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed inwardly. <i>Enough to know exactly what you’re about to say to me because it’s what every other fortune teller and seer has said to me</i>. “You can’t tell me anything?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to tell you, child.”</p>
<p>“I’m thirty. I’m not a child,” Daniel spat out, his frustration showing through more than he meant it to, but he was sick of hearing ‘child’ out of each of their mouths.</p>
<p>“Your future,” she continued, ignoring his little outburst, “shows nothing.”</p>
<p>Daniel leaned forward, elbows resting on the arms of the chair. “There has to be something. Some little thing. Some tiny event. It can’t be all nothing.”</p>
<p>She shook her head, ringlets of dark hair bouncing with the movement. “I’m afraid it’s nothing but darkness.”</p>
<p>A chill ran down his spine as she held his gaze, but Daniel tried not to let the reaction show on his face. He pushed himself out of the chair, and he wondered why he continued to do this. It was always the same. He pulled a roll of bills from his pocket and tossed it onto the table, though it hardly felt like the reading deserved the payment.</p>
<p>The fortune teller flipped through the bills. “We could try a palm reading.” Her mouth pulled into a smile as she held up the money. Her other hand was held out toward him, ringed fingers dancing in what she probably thought was an enticing manner.</p>
<p>“Yeah, no.” Daniel shook his head as he moved toward the exit. He pushed his way out into the dying light of the day then walked down the street to where his car was parked. It wasn’t the one Mr. Miyagi gave him for his birthday. That car was far too noticeable, and that was exactly what he didn’t want. It sat back at Mr. Miyagi’s house, unused since he was nineteen. He missed that car. His current car was a hunk of junk that looked like almost everything else on the street. Blending in and keeping a low profile was what he needed.</p>
<p>Sliding into the driver’s seat, Daniel let out a long sigh. He had just enough time to head back to his apartment for a quick shower, maybe a light dinner, before his shift started. His eyes slipped shut, missing Mr. Miyagi’s house. He knew he could go back there whenever he wished. Mr. Miyagi would be happy to have him back. But the house was known, and they both knew that made it unsafe. Daniel started the car and drove away.</p>
<p>A year passed since he returned to Reseda, and it still felt like he hadn’t settled back into the place he used to think of as home. He kept few possessions at his apartment, and all of it was easy to shove into a few bags and run, if he needed to. It hit him every now and again over the year that he should do that. Take off and get out of there. But he was exhausted from moving all the time. He wanted to stay and actually have a place he could call home.</p>
<p>When he arrived at the apartment complex, Daniel grabbed his mail from the box then headed up to the second floor. A grin spread onto his face when he spotted a package sitting outside his door. He unlocked the door then snatched up the package before entering. He looked at the sender as he kicked the door shut. Sato. He tossed the rest of the mail, just a few letters, bills really, onto the table then dropped onto the couch. He ripped open the package with ease and pulled the notebook from the box. Opening the notebook, he ran his fingers over the page, his eyes taking in the characters written in neat columns down the page.</p>
<p>“I hope this proves useful.” Maybe not to the problem he had, but really, all the information he could learn would be useful.</p>
<p>Daniel closed the notebook with a sigh and set it on the table with his mail. As much as he wanted to delve right into reading through the entire thing, he had his shift soon. He took a quick shower then ate cold leftovers, not bothering to waste the time heating them up, while he stood in the kitchen. When he finished, he dumped the takeout container in the trash and tossed the fork into the sink. A few minutes later, he was dressed, with the notebook tucked under his arm, and out the door, heading back toward his car.</p>
<p>His job. Daniel sighed as he leaned back in the seat behind the counter at some little mini mart in a rundown strip mall. This was hardly what he pictured for himself when he graduated high school. His eyes fell to the notebook Sato sent him. When they returned from Okinawa that first time, he shared Mr. Miyagi’s dream of opening the bonsai shop. He thought - He really believed they would be successful with it. Maybe they would have succeeded, if not for the tournament. He closed his eyes, pushing away those thoughts. That was dozens of lifetimes ago, and he couldn’t change what happened. If he had the money now, maybe he could try again, but he didn’t make that much money at his jobs.</p>
<p>The night shift could be fairly boring. He didn’t often see a huge rush of people. It was usually just a trickle of people stopping in to pick up a few things. Daniel flipped to the next page of the notebook, reading through the Japanese. The corner of his mouth pulled upward when he saw the little notes Sato added, explaining things that he would need to research on his own otherwise. Maybe one day, he would be able to visit again.</p>
<p>Two boys approached the counter and set a six pack of beer down in front of him. Daniel barely flicked his gaze away from the notebook. Then he rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Daniel picked up the six pack and tucked it away under the register, making a mental note to place it back where it belonged later.</p>
<p>“Uh, we wanted to buy those,” said one of the boys, his voice nasally. “See? Got ID right here.” He waved around the card.</p>
<p>“Yeah, a fake ID.” Daniel snorted. “Neither of you are a day over eighteen. It’s cute that you thought you could get that pass me.” He lifted his head. “If you’re not going to pay for those chips and candy, then put them back.”</p>
<p>The girl at the back of the store grumbled as she dumped her lifted items haphazardly on a shelf. Then she walked over to the boys. “I told you it was pointless to come here. Nothing ever gets past this freak.” She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder as she turned on her heel and walked toward the exit.</p>
<p>“What’s the deal with this weirdo anyway?” muttered the nasally boy. His silent friend shrugged as they followed the girl out of the mini mart.</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head as he closed the notebook. The comments stung, but he grew used to them over his year of working there. He grabbed the six pack and carried it back to the refrigerated section to place it back in its proper spot. Then he sorted through the chips and candy to place them back on the shelves where they belonged. When that was done, he shuffled back to his seat behind the counter. He sure was living the life. Sighing, he opened up the notebook again.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, Daniel wondered what kind of life the people he once knew were living. Kumiko went to dance school. Did she manage to reach her dream? Was she somewhere practicing for a show right now? He liked to imagine she was. What of Jessica? Daniel thought they would keep in touch. But after the ‘85 tournament, that fell apart. He hoped that boyfriend was treating her right. Did she still go rock climbing? Did Ali end up going to medical school like she always talked about? Was she still with that stupid UCLA football player? Did they get married? Did they have children?</p>
<p>Johnny Lawrence popped into his head. Daniel dropped an arm over the notebook as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did <i>he</i> have to come to mind? But it wasn’t like Daniel had many other people who left an impact in his life. Frowning, he bet Johnny was living some amazing life. Rich. Maybe he managed to woo Ali into dating him again, and now they were married with a bunch of little blond children. Daniel could even picture the perfect family. He groaned and dropped his head onto the notebook. Johnny would have some perfect life.</p>
<p>Something tickled at his senses. Daniel jolted upward, blinking around the mini mart. Someone entered while he was throwing himself a pity party, the jingle of the bell over the door a distant sound in his head, but they were somewhere in the back, crouched down behind the aisles of junk food. Daniel’s brow creased. There was something about what he sensed that was familiar. But why?</p>
<p>Daniel leaned over in his seat, trying to catch a glimpse around the shelves. And he almost toppled right off his chair. He righted himself quickly, accidentally knocking the notebook to the floor. Grumbling curses, he bent down to snatch it up. When he sat up again, he looked up and froze. His heart lodged itself somewhere in his throat. Why did the universe hate him?</p>
<p>“LaRusso?” Johnny’s eyebrow lifted slowly as his gaze lowered then snapped back up.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Daniel said, struggling to say anything past the tightness in his throat. He wished he could just disappear. Of course, Johnny would have to come see him working some shitty mini mart job. Daniel lowered his gaze to the pack of Coors Banquet Johnny had placed on the counter. Mechanically, he rang it up, on edge, waiting for the mocking comments to start. A loser in high school, a loser in life. He took the cash Johnny held out to him. His fingers brushed over Johnny’s hand. What? His brow creased as he snapped his gaze up to Johnny. Why was he… happy to see him?</p>
<p>“What the hell are you doing working here?” Johnny frowned, his blue eyes a storm of confusion.</p>
<p>Daniel jerked his hand away. “Need to pay bills, don’t I?” He made the change then slid the coins across the counter to him. When Johnny didn’t immediately take the change, Daniel looked up again. “What?” he snapped, glaring. “Not all of us had daddy’s money to pay our way through college.”</p>
<p>Johnny scowled, grabbing up the coins and stuffing them into his pocket. “Oh, is that what you think?” he shouted, and Daniel flinched at the anger rolling off him. “You really never knew shit, did you?” He picked up the Coors Banquet and left, shoving the door open with a hard push.</p>
<p>Daniel sat down heavily on his chair. The damn fortune teller couldn’t have warned him about this? He shook his head. And why did Johnny get so angry at him? He replayed the interaction again in his head. This time, he focused on Johnny. There was that happy feeling, but - Daniel lifted his gaze to where Johnny’s face was only moments ago. He frowned, recalling the stubble, like Johnny hadn’t bothered to shave for a couple of days. He still had those golden locks, and he looked like he kept in decent shape. Did he keep up with karate at all? His clothes, though, were nothing fancy; an old T-shirt and well-worn jeans. The reality of Johnny Lawrence didn’t match anything like the image of Johnny Lawrence with the picture perfect family that was in his head.</p>
<p>Oh. Maybe Johnny was right. Maybe Daniel really didn’t know anything. He leaned forward on the counter, threading his fingers through his dark hair. His mouth always got him in trouble, didn’t it? But he felt on the defensive. Johnny must have thought Daniel was just as pathetic now as he was back in high school. It wasn’t like he had a host of options when he never went to college. Okinawa, Mr. Miyagi’s Little Trees, Okinawa again. He didn’t have the money to go to college, and they were always on the move. The education he received since the ‘85 tournament was pretty useless in terms of getting a job.</p>
<p>A few minutes later, the door swung open again. Daniel jerked his head around, Johnny popping into his mind before he squashed down that random thought. But instead, a blonde woman stormed into the mini mart like a woman on a mission. She grabbed a box from one aisle then two packs of cigarettes and tossed them down on the counter in front of him. Daniel stared at her, the anger hitting him like a smack to the face. She glared at him with an impatient tap of her foot.</p>
<p>“Well?” she demanded, her voice cold and harsh. “Are you going to ring me up or not?”</p>
<p>Daniel did just that, and the woman snatched up the bagged items as soon as she paid for them. She left just as quickly as she entered, and Daniel sat there not sure what to make of the interaction. What was with her attitude? Daniel shook his head after a minute. She wasn’t the first angry customer to come in like that. Daniel thought he should be used to it by now. With a sigh, he turned back to reading through the notebook, now that the mini mart was quiet again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny stormed out of the mini mart, vowing to himself never to come back to this particular one ever again. No way was he going to risk running into fucking LaRusso again when all he wanted was to pick up a six pack. He climbed into his Firebird and slammed the door shut with a loud, satisfying bang. The anger continued thrumming through him as he reached to shove the key into the ignition.</p>
<p>“Uh. Did you forget something?”</p>
<p>Johnny snapped his gaze to the woman sitting in the passenger’s seat. Yeah, he had completely forgotten she was there after seeing LaRusso. But he was pretty sure that wasn’t what she meant. “What?” he snapped in a harsh growl.</p>
<p>“My cigarettes.” Her red painted lips pursed as her eyes narrowed at him.</p>
<p>“Fuck, Shannon. If you need them so badly, you go get them.” Johnny waved a hand toward the mini mart. He was not getting out of this car or going back inside.</p>
<p>“God, you're the worst!” With a flick of her long blonde hair, Shannon got out of the car, not bothering to close the door.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Johnny shouted in protest but got ignored. He grumbled, setting his beer down on the floor on the passenger’s side. Why did he even agree to drive her around? He just wanted to get back to his apartment, maybe drink half of the Coors Banquet, if not all of them, and pass out. Maybe by morning he would forget all about the little run in with LaRusso. He hadn’t seen LaRusso since high school graduation, but somehow the asshole always managed to piss him off. The fact that he was working at some mini mart, at least, meant he didn’t go off to have some amazing and successful life.</p>
<p>Shannon climbed back into the car a few moments later, clutching the bag with her stupid cigarettes to her chest as she slammed the door shut. A second later, she was digging out a pack and tearing it open.</p>
<p>“Oh, hell no.” Johnny landed a dark glare on her. “You are not smoking in my car.”</p>
<p>Shannon looked up at him with a cigarette already pressed between her lips. “Your car’s already a piece of shit.”</p>
<p>“My car is a classic, and I don’t want it smelling like this shit.” Johnny grabbed the cigarette from her lips and tossed it out his window.</p>
<p>“God! You’re such an asshole!”</p>
<p>Johnny ignored her as he started the car and pulled away from the mini mart. He drove through the streets of Reseda until he reached his apartment complex. Shannon wrinkled her nose at it. He knew it wasn’t the greatest place, but he also knew her apartment was no better than his. After he parked, he got out of the car, snatching up his beer, and waited for Shannon to do the same so he could make sure it was locked. Then he headed for his apartment with Shannon following behind him. He heard the familiar clicking sound of the lighter as she lit up her cigarette.</p>
<p>“Disgusting,” he muttered under his breath.</p>
<p>Johnny unlocked the door to his apartment and froze. Shannon shoved past him and made her way to the bathroom. He frowned at the other two occupants of his apartment. Beer bottles were littered on the table and floor around his couch.</p>
<p>“What the hell are you doing in my apartment?” Johnny demanded, anger flaring through him yet again. “And how the fuck did you get in?”</p>
<p>“Hey, Johnny!” Aaron, the man sitting at the table with his legs stretched out under it, sang his name with a dopey grin on his face. His eyes were spaced out and unfocused, and Johnny wondered if the man even really saw him.</p>
<p>“Want to take a hit and join the party?” Blake waved around his bottle before chugging down another gulp as he tilted his back against the couch.</p>
<p>“Take a-” Johnny snapped his gaze back to the table. This time he noticed the pills scattered around on the wood surface but more importantly the lines of white powder and rolled up joints. “Fuck!” He stomped into his apartment to stand over where they sat. “Take that shit and get the hell out of my apartment! I don’t want you bringing that crap in here. I don’t even want you in my fucking apartment in the first place.”</p>
<p>“What?” Aaron stretched the word out, his mouth hanging open. Then he just sort of stared off, like he lost his train of thought.</p>
<p>“Hey, man, you’re the one that gave us the key.” Blake sat forward, resting one arm over a knee. “Why are you getting so upset?”</p>
<p>Johnny set his beer down on the table with a loud clunk. Then he stood up straight again and pressed his fingers against his eyes. How did he end up with these people? He could barely stand any of them, and they kept invading his space without permission.</p>
<p>“I didn’t give you a god damn key!” Johnny shot a murderous glare at Blake. “I don’t want you here. Why would I give you a key? If you have a key, I want it back right fucking now!”</p>
<p>“Okay. Okay.” Blake held up his hands. After he placed his bottle on the table, he reached into his pocket and dug out a key. He held it up for Johnny to see then tossed it over his shoulder with a cackling laugh.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Aaron sang out, holding the note for too long. “Something crawled up Johnny’s butt!”</p>
<p>“Just grab your shit and get out!” Johnny pointed at the still open door of his apartment.</p>
<p>“You really are the worst. You know that, Johnny?” Blake scrambled to grab all the loose pills and joints and stuff them into a baggie. In his haste, the powdery lines smeared everywhere, even spilling onto the carpet. Johnny ground his teeth. He would have to clean that shit up, and right now, he had a massive headache pounding away at his skull.</p>
<p>“You never want to have any fun,” Aaron complained as Blake grabbed his arm and dragged him onto his feet. He swayed around before tilting backward, needing Blake to catch him before he fell. “You’re a boring asshole.” Then he laughed like he just made the greatest joke in the world.</p>
<p>“Just go,” Johnny said tiredly. He watched Blake struggle to carry Aaron out of the apartment. Once they were gone, he slammed the door shut. How much worse could his night get? Maybe he would skip the beer and just go pass out in bed. He headed in the direction of his bedroom but stopped when he noticed the closed bathroom door. “Damn it, Shan! You better not be smoking in there.”</p>
<p>“Shut up!” Shannon screamed back. “I need a minute.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes. “Shan, I’m not in the mood for this shit right now.” He should have driven her home instead of bringing her to his apartment. “I want to sleep, so I need you to leave.”</p>
<p>“In a minute!”</p>
<p>Johnny’s mouth pursed, and he raised a fist, sorely tempted to punch it into the wall. He really needed to get away from these people. The minute passed, and Shannon stepped out, staring at something in her hands.</p>
<p>“What is it now?” Johnny sighed.</p>
<p>Shannon lifted her gaze. Her mouth worked up and down a few times before she managed to find her voice. “I’m pregnant.”</p>
<p>“What?” Johnny jerked back a step in shock. “It’s not mine!”</p>
<p>“Johnny.” Shannon gave him a flat stare.</p>
<p>“It can’t be mine,” Johnny argued again. “We haven’t slept together in seven months.”</p>
<p>“Who else could it be?”</p>
<p>“How should I know? You pick up guys at the bar all the time.”</p>
<p>“So, now you’re saying I’m a slut?” Shannon’s glare turned cold.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you expect me to do, Shan!” Johnny waved his arms around. “I’ll take you to the doctors and shit if you need it. But I’m not the father.”</p>
<p>Shannon ducked back into the bathroom and gathered up her purse, cramming the two packs of cigarettes into it. “God, Johnny! You could try to be a bit more sympathetic.”</p>
<p>Johnny groaned, filling like his head was going to explode, as he followed Shannon to the door. “Maybe you should consider thinking about quitting smoking. That’s not going to be good for the baby.”</p>
<p>“You’re right. You’re not the father.” Shannon stomped out of the apartment. “So, you don’t have to bother acting like you care.”</p>
<p>Johnny followed her. “Shan!” He watched her storm away then sighed, leaning back against the wall next to his door as he raked a hand through his hair. Great. This was just what he needed tonight. He banged his head back against the wall with his eyes closed. “Maybe it’s time to just quit.”</p>
<p>“Or maybe you just need a change.”</p>
<p>Johnny opened his eyes, staring upward. Then he turned his head to see his neighbor with a brown paper bag in one arm and her keys in the other hand. “A change?” He lifted an eyebrow at her. “What are you suggesting, Amanda?”</p>
<p>Amanda unlocked the door to her apartment. Johnny honestly didn’t know what she was doing living in this hell hole of an apartment complex. She was smart, beautiful, and dressed in fancy clothes that probably cost more than what Johnny paid on rent. She would fit in well with the Encino elites. Why she stuck around here, he still hadn’t figured out.</p>
<p>“Give me a minute.” Amanda ducked into her apartment. When she stepped out again, she presented him with a flyer on neon green paper. “I think you might be what they’re looking for.” She tapped at a name on the flyer. “So, if you’re interested in a change,” she grinned at him, “I can introduce you.”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned at the flyer as he took it from her hands. He recognized the name of the place on the flyer, had even been there a handful of times. A change might not be such a bad idea. He lifted his gaze back to her. “Please tell me they aren’t anything like Shan and her nitwits.”</p>
<p>“They’re great. I think you’d really like them.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded. “I’ll think about it.” He rolled up the flyer then folded his arms. “Okay. But seriously, what are you doing here, Amanda? We both know you don’t belong here.”</p>
<p>“If I’m ever going to open up my very own dealership, I need the money. This place might not be the greatest, but the rent is cheap enough I can put a lot of my paycheck away to save up.”</p>
<p>“This place really will go to hell once you move out.” Johnny smiled charmingly, and Amanda rolled her eyes as she slapped his arm.</p>
<p>“Don’t forget. Friday night.” Amanda pointed at him as she backed toward her apartment. “If you want to meet them, be there.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah. I’ll remember.” Johnny waved to her before he headed back into his own apartment. He stared down at the flyer. Meeting with them couldn’t hurt anything. If it didn’t work out, well, he would find something else. After another look at the mess of his apartment, he walked to his bedroom. He was too tired to deal with anything else tonight.</p>
<p>Johnny collapsed onto his bed, laying on his stomach. He reached out and slapped the flyer down on the table next to his bed. After a couple of minutes passed and sleep didn’t immediately come to him, he flipped over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He just didn’t get it. The whole scene from the mini mart kept playing over in his head. Why would LaRusso be working at a place like that? Surely, he could have gotten a better job than that. Johnny frowned. LaRusso looked tired with dark circles under his eyes, but he still held onto that youthfulness that made him look years younger than he actually was. He was still all long limbs and slender frame. Did he still keep up with karate?</p>
<p>Johnny immediately shook that thought out of his head. He needed to stop thinking about that stupid run in. He wasn’t going to see LaRusso again, so it didn’t matter. But there was a moment, a look that flitted through his brown eyes. Some kind of… amazement? Wonder? Johnny didn’t know what to name it, but it was completely taken over when the confusion set in and then came the usual LaRusso anger. Johnny rubbed his fingers against his eyes. He wasn’t even looking to fight him, but LaRusso always had to make it into one. He only asked about the job because it was so unbelievable to him. LaRusso shouldn’t be working there. But of course, LaRusso had to take a jab at him with the whole ‘daddy’s money’ comment. Johnny clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. If LaRusso only knew. But he never knew anything. Never even tried to know anything.</p>
<p>
  <i>But what do I know?</i>
</p>
<p>Johnny sighed, releasing his anger with that single breath. Clearly, he didn’t know anything about LaRusso either. After the tournament, they pretty much stayed away from each other until they were forced to sit next to each other at graduation. They ignored each other there too. Then they went separate ways. Four months. September to December. In the space of that time, they were almost the center of each other’s worlds, always finding the other to pick a fight. It seemed like an insignificant amount of time, and yet, LaRusso still had a way of inserting himself into the forefront of Johnny’s mind. The little shit just couldn’t let him live in peace.</p>
<p>“What peace?” Johnny muttered to the ceiling. “My life sucks.” With a tired exhale, he closed his eyes, hoping to fall into the dark abyss of dreamless sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am so, so sorry this is so very late! Our power was out for most of the day.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The darkness surrounded him, infinite and empty. No light, no sound, no sensation upon his flesh. No breath came to him, and he couldn’t work up any amount of saliva to swallow. His chest squeezed with tightness as the panic set in. He opened his eyes. Or did he close them? He couldn’t tell when there was nothing to see. His arms and legs refused to move, like heavy leaden weights. He needed to wake up. Was his heart beating too fast? He couldn’t hear it, couldn’t hear that usual rush of blood in his ears that came with his panic.</p>
<p>Daniel gasped in a breath after what felt like an eternity. His eyes snapped open for real, and it took a few blinks before the blackness faded out to reveal his darkened bedroom. He launched out of his bed, making a mad scramble to the bathroom. He stumbled around, his legs not wanting to support him. Nearly too late, he flipped up the lid on the toilet and promptly emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet bowl. He dry heaved for a few minutes before finally collapsing onto the floor.</p>
<p>Closing his eyes, Daniel did some mental calculations. “Three weeks.” He opened his eyes and tilted his head back to stare up at the ceiling. His mouth pressed thin. Then he let out a tired sigh and pushed himself onto his feet. He grabbed his toothbrush and scrubbed his teeth clean, trying to rid the taste of vomit from his mouth. After flushing the toilet, he wandered back to his bedroom to get dressed for work.</p>
<p>He ate a simple breakfast of a fried egg and a slice of toast and downed a mug of hot coffee. Once he was finished, he grabbed his keys and left the apartment. He spotted one of his neighbors coming out of their apartment at the same time, but he merely ignored the other man as he made his way to his car. He hadn’t spoken to any of his neighbors in the year that he lived there. When he climbed into his car, he still didn’t relax. The dream, nightmare, lack of anything, still weighed heavily on his mind. Three weeks since the last time he experienced that kind of a dream. Before that, it was one week, and the time before that was seven weeks. There was no rhyme or reason to how often it occurred. It sneaked up on him at random times and left him shaken for days afterward.</p>
<p>Daniel pulled into the back lot, parking in the section reserved for the employees. He took a deep breath to shake off the clutches of the lingering panic from that morning. Focusing on some kind of work usually helped. Karate, trimming bonsai trees, fixing up cars, delving into the dozens upon dozens of notebooks filled with information gathered over the years. He climbed out of the car then headed into the building.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t your shift not start for another two hours?”</p>
<p>Daniel glanced over to see one of the other staff giving him a puzzled look. He had to think for a moment to recall his name with his brain still feeling sluggish. “You’re going to complain about me making your life easier, Owen?” He lifted an eyebrow, throwing on a grin.</p>
<p>Owen tucked back a strand of long red hair that had come loose from his low ponytail. His skin was almost white from how pale he was, despite living in California, letting the freckles covering his face stand out starkly. “Well, when you put it like that.” His smile was easy and thankful, and all the women working with them were utterly in love with him. It was almost obnoxious having to block it out.</p>
<p>The two of them worked well together. They had a good rhythm with prepping everything before members of the country club showed up. Every table had clean tablecloths and were perfectly set with time to spare. Daniel sneaked into the kitchens and was able to swipe a turkey sandwich, thanks to Paige, and devoured it in minutes.</p>
<p>“You’re lucky I like you so much.” Paige tossed a towel at him.</p>
<p>“No one can resist my Jersey charm.” Daniel grinned as he cleaned his hands with the towel. Then he threw it back to her as she rolled her hazel eyes.</p>
<p>“Now if only your head wasn’t so big from that ego of yours.” Paige huffed, but her mouth pulled into an amused smile.</p>
<p>Daniel gasped, slapping a hand over his chest. “You wound me!” He pushed open the door to exit the kitchen. “And I’ve met people with bigger egos.”</p>
<p>“I’d hate to meet them.”</p>
<p>They both laughed as he left the kitchen. The breakfast shift dragged on, since the crowd was a lot lighter compared to the lunch rush. His shift hadn’t actually started yet, so Daniel spent most of his time ringing up bills or checking that orders were going out smoothly. He frequently glanced around the dining room then prodded wait staff here and there when a table needed to be checked on. He spotted a few dark clouds and muttered to himself because those assholes were never happy with anything.</p>
<p>They cleaned up the tables then prepared for the lunch rush. Daniel took his lunch outside, eating away from everyone else. Except for Greg, one of the chefs, who liked to come out and smoke on his break. Thankfully, he kept his distance from where Daniel sat, but the smell from the cigarette smoke still drifted close enough to make him sick. Daniel shoved the last bite of the grilled chicken into his mouth then hurried back inside, dropping his dishes off in the sink to be cleaned.</p>
<p>The lunch rush kept him busy, bouncing from table to table with friendly smiles and charming compliments. Daniel almost hated how easily he could fall into this role of offering fake pleasantries to snobby rich people who looked down their noses at him. But he needed to keep the job. He grabbed a fresh pitcher of water and headed to the next table.</p>
<p>“Have you decided yet?” Daniel asked as he picked up one of the glasses to fill with water. “Or do you still need-” He froze when he lifted his head and his gaze landed on a familiar face. “-a minute?” He swallowed thickly as he slowly lowered the glass back to the table.</p>
<p>“Daniel!” Ali stared at him with wide eyes. Her parents shot him looks full of disdain, which he was more than used to.</p>
<p>Daniel moved to the next glass, his smile a little harder to keep plastered on his face. “If you still need a minute, I can come back.” He finished pouring water into the third glass when Ali reached out to catch his arm. He jerked away from her hand, perhaps a bit too violently. The water splashed out of the pitcher, drenching down the front of his clothes. His heart thundered in his chest.</p>
<p>Ali’s eyes softened in sympathy. “Dan-”</p>
<p>“Sorry! I’ll get someone to clean up the mess.” Daniel turned and hurried to walk away from the table, reigning in the desire to just sprint out of the dining room. He could feel the eyes on him, phantom laughter echoing in his ears.</p>
<p>“Daniel, wait!” Ali caught up to him before he could reach the door.</p>
<p>Daniel screwed his eyes shut. Why was this happening? Wasn’t it bad enough he had to run into Johnny earlier in the week? Why did he have to meet Ali now? What next? Was Kumiko about to waltz through the doors? Would Jessica suddenly repel down the windows on a rope? Breathing out, he finally turned around to face her.</p>
<p>“Why are you running away from me?” Ali’s eyes shone with her worry.</p>
<p>Daniel dropped his gaze to his soaked clothes and the nearly empty pitcher of water in his hands. “I guess I can’t get away from embarrassing situations when it comes to this place.” He sighed, finding a counter to set the pitcher on. When he looked, he saw Owen already mopping up the water from the floor. Then he turned back to Ali. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Colorado or someplace.”</p>
<p>Ali nodded, a smile flitting across her face. “Denver. I’m a doctor there.”</p>
<p>Daniel folded his arms, an almost defensive action, as he glanced back toward the table. The Mills were shooting him dark looks. “So, what brings you back here?”</p>
<p>Ali turned her head, a quick dart of her eyes back to her parents. Then she smiled at him, her eyes gleaming with happiness. “I haven’t told my parents yet. But I’m engaged.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Something dropped inside Daniel, like a heavy stone settling coldly in his gut. He didn’t hold onto any feelings for Ali. Those had left him long ago. He was sure others from their class were doing the same thing, having successful careers and getting married, even having children. And what did he have to show for his life? He never went to college, and he worked for the country club and mini mart just to make ends meet and lived in a shitty ass apartment. “Congrats!” He plastered his work smile onto his face.</p>
<p>Ali blushed prettily as she brushed back a lock of blonde hair. “Oh!” Her eyes lit up suddenly. “We should go out somewhere tonight. Catch up, you know. I can introduce you to my fiancé.”</p>
<p>Daniel shifted his weight, biting his lower lip. “Oh, I don’t know.” He didn’t have a shift at the mini mart tonight, but the idea of having to be around the happy couple made him uncomfortable. His gaze flicked around the room, catching on his boss, who frowned severely. He needed to get out of this conversation and back to work before the man got even angrier at him.</p>
<p>“Please, Daniel?” Ali gave him those big puppy eyes that always made him cave when they dated.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed heavily. “Okay. Fine. I guess I could meet up for a little while.”</p>
<p>“Great!” Ali smiled, pleased at her success. Then she dug around in her purse. “Here.” She handed him a folded sheet of paper. “This is where we were planning to meet. Say around eight?”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded, holding up the folded square. “Eight it is.” His smile was more forced than usual as Ali waved and wandered back to the table with her parents. Daniel ducked out of the dining room, heading for the staff room. They usually kept a couple of extra uniforms around, just in case of accidents. He changed quickly then got back out to the dining room to tend to his tables.</p>
<p>Once the Mills left, Daniel felt like he could relax again. The rest of his shift finished with no other incidents. But his co-workers did frequently pester him about what happened. He was usually the one who didn’t have accidents. He was the one who usually anticipated every little thing and stepped in before things went wrong. Once, he heard two of his co-workers joking that he was psychic. He might have laughed, but he wished he had a name for what he was.</p>
<p>When his shift ended, Daniel still had hours before it was time to meet up with Ali. Why did he agree to that? He really didn’t need to have her flaunting her amazingly perfect life in his face. When he got back to his apartment, he changed into something more comfortable. He grabbed his Walkman on the way out again. With the music blaring in his ears, he went for a jog, trying not to think too hard about anything, especially not having to suffer going out with the happy engaged couple. He picked up his dinner on the way back to his apartment. Upon arriving back, he swapped out the cassette in his Walkman then dropped onto his couch to eat his dinner while reading through the notebook Sato sent him, again.</p>
<p>By the time it got close to eight, Daniel was seriously considering not going. He rubbed the heels of palms against his eyes and groaned. Why did this have to happen? Letting out a sigh, he pushed himself off the couch then wandered down the hall, peeling out of his clothes as he entered the bathroom. He washed himself thoroughly, not wanting to further embarrass himself by showing up as stinking, gross mess. Finding something decent to wear took longer than he wanted. He looked over the paper Ali gave him. He doubted some fancy restaurant would use a flashy flyer as a way to advertise. He grabbed something that seemed casual and comfortable.</p>
<p>Daniel arrived at the place ten minutes past eight, having walked from where he parked his car a little down the street. He tilted his head back, staring up at the neon sign of the club. Why did Ali pick a place like this? With a shake of his head, he entered the club and immediately the sounds of a live band washed over him. The singer’s voice was soulful and rich and warm, and it brought an odd calmness to him. His gaze flicked around the room. There were too many bodies around, and he tried to shrink in on himself as he weaved through them, keeping an eye out for Ali. He hated places like this. It was almost impossible to avoid touching people when everyone was so crammed together.</p>
<p>“Daniel!” Ali grabbed hold of his arm, dragging him closer.</p>
<p>“Um,” Daniel swallowed as her joy washed over him, “hi.”</p>
<p>Ali smiled. “You had me thinking you weren’t going to show.” She smacked his arm. “A friend told me about this place. You remember Barbara, right?” She barely seemed to notice his small nod. “So, I thought I should check this place out while I was in town. Apparently, they frequently have live bands play. Looks like we got lucky tonight.” She tossed a glance toward the stage.</p>
<p>“Oh. Uh, that’s cool.” Daniel folded his arms, looking around as he leaned away whenever someone came close to touching him. This really wasn’t a good place for him to be. “So, where’s this fiancé?”</p>
<p>Ali snapped her gaze back to him. “He’s a bit late, but he should be here soon.”</p>
<p>Daniel looked around like he might be able to spot the man as soon as he appeared. “So, doctor? That’s pretty amazing.”</p>
<p>“Pediatric surgeon.” Ali smiled brightly, and she clearly loved her job. “And you-” Her smile faltered, and there was this pity in her eyes that made him shift uncomfortably. “You stayed around here for college, right?”</p>
<p>“It,” Daniel looked away, “didn’t really work out for me.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Ali deflated somewhat. “Have you considered going back? Maybe a different school would be better.”</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head. “I couldn’t afford it even if I wanted to go.” He hunched up his shoulders in a shrug. “Anyway, I’m busy enough right now without thinking about taking some dumb classes on top of it all.” He winced, guilt settling over him when Ali frowned. “Sorry. It’s just been a long week.”</p>
<p>Ali nodded and rubbed his arm sympathetically, but Daniel could feel how much pity she felt toward him. It made him a little sick.</p>
<p>“I’ll be right back. I just gotta, you know.” Daniel nodded his head toward the sign for the restrooms. He darted off after Ali gave a little bob of her head.</p>
<p>Once inside the restroom, he walked over to one of the sinks to splash water on his face. What else did he really expect? Of course, she pitied him. His life looked like crap from the outside. But he wasn’t given much choice when staying in one place was dangerous. He grabbed some towels from the dispenser to pat his face dry. He probably should have left Reseda already, but running was exhausting. He wanted to stay in Reseda, even if it was stupid. After a glance in the mirror, he took a shaky breath to calm himself. Then he left the restroom.</p>
<p>Ali was still standing pretty much where he left her. Daniel put a smile on his face as he made his way toward her. Then he realized she was talking to someone. He slowed when he neared her then stopped completely when he recognized the golden locks, the blue eyes. It was like being right back at the country club and watching the pair dance. He half expected to see them kiss just like last time. His throat tightened to the point that swallowing hurt. Her fiancé. He wanted to let out a bitter laugh. Of course, it would be Johnny Lawrence. This - He couldn’t do this. He turned and rushed out of the club before either of them noticed him.</p>
<p>Daniel walked away from the club, muttering about how stupid he was. Hands grabbed him suddenly, dragging him into the alley. Danger prickled at his brain before the hands were gone. He spun around, immediately blocking the strike coming at his head. The fists and kicks came fast, and he struggled to keep up with them. He caught one fist, the second fist, then he kicked the other person in the chest. They stumbled back. Something flashed, and he barely twisted out of its path to avoid having the blade sink into his abdomen. His shirt now had a tear in it. He snapped his gaze around and glared.</p>
<p>“How is that fair, Chozen?”</p>
<p>Chozen smirked, flipping a dagger into the air and catching it easily. “Don’t act like you aren’t armed too.”</p>
<p>Daniel scowled but reached behind his back, retrieving the two daggers he kept hidden. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you noticed.”</p>
<p>Chozen tossed the dagger from his left hand to his right. Then he attacked, swiping the blade at him. Daniel blocked it, the blades clashing together. When Daniel thrust his second dagger forward, Chozen twisted out of the way, using the momentum to slam his fist into the side of Daniel’s head. With a grunt, Daniel stumbled then hopped backward to avoid another attempt to slice open his stomach. A spinning kick sent Chozen into a wall, but he recovered quickly, leaving one of Daniel’s daggers to scrap over bricks. The tip of Chozen’s dagger cut into Daniel’s left cheek, almost too close to his eye. Daniel caught Chozen’s right thigh, a shallow wound but enough to draw blood.</p>
<p>Chozen took another swipe at him. Daniel ducked, sweeping his leg around to knock him on his back. Before Chozen could move, Daniel was on top of him, a knee pressing into his chest as he held a dagger to his throat. Chozen smirked.</p>
<p>“You’ve improved.”</p>
<p>Daniel rolled his eyes, jerking his hand back from his neck. “How could I not? You launch these surprise attacks all the time.” He climbed off him and got to his feet.</p>
<p>“Your enemies aren’t going to invite you out to tea before attacking.” Chozen got to his feet, failing to subtly rub at his chest. “Those,” he nodded his head to the daggers still in Daniel’s hands, “are new. Let me see them?” He tucked his own dagger away. Then he held out his hands.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed then tossed each dagger to him. Chozen caught them out of the air. He brought the daggers up to his eyes, examining them closely.</p>
<p>“Silver and iron?” Chozen lifted an eyebrow before chucking them back to him.</p>
<p>Daniel rolled his shoulder. “Seemed like a good idea.” He caught the daggers and slid them back into their hidden sheaths.</p>
<p>Chozen nodded, giving it some thought. “Not a bad idea.” He walked a bit down the alley then bent over to snatch up his other dagger, almost forgotten during their fight.</p>
<p>“I have good ideas.” Daniel scowled before he looked down at his shirt. “And did you have to ruin this shirt?”</p>
<p>“You should learn to dodge better.” Chozen’s smirk was cruel, but his eyes spoke of his amusement.</p>
<p>“Whatever,” Daniel muttered as he walked toward the entrance of the alley. Chozen followed after him. “So,” he sent a grin at Chozen, “how’s your foxy lady?”</p>
<p>Chozen glared as they walked the short distance to Daniel’s car. “I’ve asked you not to call her that.” Then he reached into his pocket, retrieving something from his pocket. He held out the picture, and Daniel gasped as he snatched it from his hand.</p>
<p>“Twins!” Daniel stared at the picture, mouth hanging open. Then he snapped his gaze up. “You didn’t even tell me she was pregnant! You jerk.”</p>
<p>Chozen grabbed the picture back. “We’re not friends.” He stuffed the picture back into his wallet.</p>
<p>Daniel caught his hand. Anger and lingering bitterness, but also something else. A smile slipped onto his face. “Aw, you <i>do</i> care about me.”</p>
<p>“And I see you still suck at blocking things out.” Chozen ripped his hand free. “Your lack of control is baffling.”</p>
<p>“I’d like to see how well you do with this shit.” Daniel huffed, folding his arms as he leaned back against his car. “I’m doing my best.”</p>
<p>Chozen stepped closer, holding Daniel’s gaze with a glare. “You need to learn to do better.”</p>
<p>Daniel ground his teeth, his blunt nails biting through the sleeves of shirt into his arms. “I don’t need you to tell me about my shortcomings.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have to if you would actually put in the work.”</p>
<p>“Anything else you want to throw in my face?”</p>
<p>Chozen sighed, some of the tension leaving him. “I’ve heard lots of rumors as of late. You should probably leave. And soon.”</p>
<p>“No.” Daniel’s voice was strong, firm, and his eyes blazed with his stubbornness.</p>
<p>“Things are coming here.” There was a flicker of confusion and disbelief before anger overpowered those other emotions.</p>
<p>“I’m not being chased away again. I’m done running.”</p>
<p>Chozen’s mouth pressed thin. “You might not have a life if you act so recklessly.” There was concern now, deep under it all, and fear. Chozen never showed his fear.</p>
<p>Daniel laughed bitterly. “What life do I have? Any dream I might have wanted, he took them all away.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny sighed as the hot water washed over him. His muscles ached from the long hours spent on construction work. He rubbed the shampoo into his hair, trying to forget about the week he had. Stupid rich people always bitching at him when he was doing exactly what they asked of him on a job. He honestly found that more exhausting than the actual work. Then when he tried to spend some time relaxing, he got bitched at by Shannon. He used to love her, at one point, but it felt like a lifetime ago now. When he offered, again, to help her out, Shannon snapped at him not to bother.</p>
<p>“You’re not the father, right? So, you don’t have to care,” Shannon shouted when he offered to take her to a doctor’s appointment.</p>
<p>Why did he ever agree to join Shannon’s band with her drugged out bandmates? He couldn’t remember, but it was probably the dumbest decision he made just to earn a little extra cash on the side.</p>
<p>When he finished in the shower, Johnny walked to his bedroom with a towel loosely hanging around his waist. Collapsing into bed and sleeping until morning sounded like a good plan, but it was Friday. If he wanted to meet with this band Amanda knew, he needed to be at that club tonight. Frowning, he searched through his closet to find something suitable to wear.</p>
<p>Despite his better judgement, over the week, Johnny passed by that mini mart where he first saw LaRusso again. He knew he should just avoid the place, but he would glance over to see if he could spot LaRusso working there. It didn’t seem like LaRusso had day shifts, though, since Johnny never saw him there. If LaRusso only worked night shifts, then Johnny didn’t have to worry about finding some other mini mart to do his shopping.</p>
<p>Once he was dressed, Johnny left his apartment. The sky was already dark as he drove to the club. He hoped he could talk to this band before they went on stage for the night. If this meeting went well, he could hopefully leave his old band behind. He wanted to say he would miss Shannon, and he did plan to help her out if needed with her pregnancy, but her whole band was too toxic. He hated when Aaron and Blake decided to break into his apartment to do their damn drugs. He lost count of the number of times he told them to stay out of his apartment.</p>
<p>Johnny parked and walked to the club. It was still fairly early in the evening, but the club already had a good crowd of people inside. He glanced around until he spotted Amanda. With a relieved smile, he made his way over to her.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” Amanda drew him into a hug with one arm. She dressed in a more casual outfit, nice fitted jeans and a shirt with a low-cut neckline. The change from the usual fancy clothes she wore to work shocked him. But she looked good. “I’m glad you decided to come.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well,” Johnny hunched up his shoulders in a shrug, “staying with my old band doesn’t seem like the best option.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Amanda winced, “maybe I’m a little selfish in not wanting those people hanging around the complex anymore.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed. “I’m in the same boat there. I only joined them because of Shannon. Not one of my better choices. She made it sound like she had changed, so I decided to give her a chance.”</p>
<p>Amanda patted his shoulder sympathetically. “If you’re ready, I can introduce you now.”</p>
<p>“That’s why I’m here now, right?” Johnny grinned.</p>
<p>Amanda took his hand and pulled him along toward the stage. A bouncer blocked their way, but Amanda said something to him, and he allowed them to pass to the backstage area where the band was preparing for their performance. Johnny noted the drum kit already setup on stage before they walked through the doorway to the back.</p>
<p>A man leaned against the wall, playing some chords on his guitar. His dark hair was cropped close, and he had a number piercings in his ears. His dark jeans were ripped in places.  A woman lounged in a chair as she spun a drumstick with her fingers. Her strawberry blonde hair was done in a braid that draped over a bare shoulder. She had dark makeup around her eyes, enhancing their vibrant green.</p>
<p>“Carmen!” Amanda greeted, drawing Johnny’s attention away from the other two.</p>
<p>Carmen was a beautiful woman with long curly dark hair. Under her vest, she wore a simple white top with the bottom hem in tatters. Her leather pants hugged around her slim waist. She drew Amanda into a tight hug before turning her attention onto Johnny.</p>
<p>“Who’s your friend?” Carmen spoke with an accent he didn’t recognize.</p>
<p>“This,” Amanda turned, holding an arm out to him, “is Johnny. He plays bass guitar, and from what I’ve heard, he’s really good.” She turned her dazzling smile back onto Carmen. “I think he’ll be a good fit for your band.”</p>
<p>Carmen nodded then stepped toward him, holding out her hand. “Carmen.” She smiled as they shook hands. “Of course, we can’t just say yes without hearing you play.”</p>
<p>“Don’t exactly have my bass with me.” Johnny shoved his hands in his pockets. The other two were looking at him now, their gazes scrutinizing him. He didn’t like the feeling of being under a microscope. “But I’d be happy to play something for you at another time.”</p>
<p>Carmen nodded. “We have band practice tomorrow, if you can make it.”</p>
<p>“I have work most of the day.” Johnny frowned, flicking his gaze to the other two. He guessed Carmen was the head of this band, but maybe they would voice their opinions of him later, when he wasn’t around to hear them. “But I should be free in the late afternoon, or early evening.”</p>
<p>“That should work.” Carmen turned and snatched a flyer from the wall. The drummer tossed her a pen when she held out a hand. After writing something down on the back of the flyer, she handed it to Johnny. “This is where we practice. Drop by when you’re off work.”</p>
<p>Johnny looked over the address before folding up the flyer to stuff into his pocket. “I’ll be there.”</p>
<p>Someone knocked on the door before cracking it open. “You’re on in five.”</p>
<p>“Guess our time is up.” The guitarist pushed away from the wall. “Look forward to hearing you play.” He patted Johnny on the shoulder before he walked out of the room. The drummer merely gave him a two finger salute with a grin with her lips painted a bright red before she followed after him.</p>
<p>“I hope you’ll stay and watch us perform.” Carmen smiled with a wave as she left the room.</p>
<p>“I think they like you.” Amanda nudged him with her elbow.</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes, but it was a relief to know the band already seemed to like him. Now he just needed to impress him with his playing. “Let me buy you a drink.” He held out his arm, and Amanda took it.</p>
<p>They left the backstage area and made their way to the bar while the band set up. The crowd had picked up a bit while they were talking to Carmen. When they reached the bar, Johnny paid for the drink Amanda ordered and got a Banquet for himself.</p>
<p>“How do you know Carmen anyway?” Johnny took a pull from the bottle as he looked Amanda over then glanced around the club. “I can’t say I really imagined this being your kind of place.”</p>
<p>Amanda laughed, raising her glass to her mouth. She sipped her drink. “Had to let off steam somehow in college. I think I would have gone crazy if I spent all my time locked up in my dorm studying.” She glanced over to the stage as the band started playing. Her eyes twinkled as she watched Carmen. “I went out to a club one night and just happened to meet up with Carmen after she sang. We shared drinks, got to talking, and,” she shrugged, smiling back at Johnny, “became good friends.”</p>
<p>“Just friends?” Johnny lifted an eyebrow with a teasing smirk.</p>
<p>Amanda rolled her eyes as she gave him a shove. “Yes, just friends.” She tossed back the rest of her drink. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go enjoy the show.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”</p>
<p>Amanda scoffed, smacking him hard on the arm. Johnny rubbed at the spot as he chuckled, but Amanda was stronger than he thought. With an amused grin, he watched as she weaved through the crowd to reach the front of the stage. He drank his beer as he watched the band. They were good. Carmen’s voice flowed over him, smooth and soulful. She was an amazing singer, but he did agree there was something lacking from their music. He could understand why Amanda pushed him to meet with them. His bass could fill what was missing.</p>
<p>When he finished his beer, Johnny pushed away from the bar. He would stay longer, but he was still sore from working, and he would have another long day tomorrow. Before he could make it to the exit, a hand grabbed hold of his arm. He turned then froze, his eyes growing wide in his shock.</p>
<p>“Ali?”</p>
<p>“Johnny!” She drew him into a tight hug. “I can’t believe it! What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head, almost too stunned to reply as he pulled back to look her over. “I just came to hear the band play a bit. I can’t - What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>Ali smiled, a mild flush upon her cheeks as she stared up at him. She was still as pretty as he remembered. “I’m just in town for a little while. I wanted to introduce my fiancé to my parents.”</p>
<p>Johnny’s eyebrows shot upward. “Fiancé?” It was a bit like a punch to the gut. After high school, he never thought he would run into Ali again, especially when he learned she was going out of state for college. But then, he never imagined seeing LaRusso again either. But hearing she was engaged deflated any joy from seeing her.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I met him at college in Denver.” A wistful look entered Ali’s eyes, and Johnny prayed she didn’t launch into the story of how they met. He didn’t want to know anything about their happy story. “He should be here any moment.” She glanced around, searching the crowd, and Johnny debated how quickly he could make his exit. Ali frowned. “And Daniel’s taking forever too.”</p>
<p>Johnny jerked back a step. “LaRusso?” He tried not to shout, but even he winced at the loudness of his voice.</p>
<p>Ali’s mouth thinned. “Don’t tell me the two of you are still butting heads. That stupid tournament was years ago.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed. Of course, she would call it stupid. That tournament meant something to him. He trained hard to win it, and LaRusso just had to show up and steal his win. “We don’t exactly have any reason to talk to each other.”</p>
<p>Ali raised an eyebrow. “The two of you are so dumb sometimes.” She shook her head, something like amusement dancing through her eyes. “I bet if you stopped being so stubborn all the time, you’d find you have a lot in common.”</p>
<p>“Doubtful.” Johnny noticed a man heading toward them and guessed that was probably the fiancé Ali mentioned. “Anyway, I really need to head out now. I have work early tomorrow, so I really need to get some sleep.”</p>
<p>Ali frowned, hurt passing through her expression. “But-”</p>
<p>“Sorry. Maybe another time?” Johnny offered a brief hug then hurriedly made his way toward the door. The man gave him a confused glance as they passed each other, but Johnny didn’t stop until he was outside of the club.</p>
<p>The evening air felt cool after being in the crowded club. Johnny raked a hand through his hair. That could have been disastrous. Running into Ali was one thing. But risking another run in with LaRusso? Johnny was glad he could get out of there before he had to face him again. Their last encounter still brought a thread of rage running through him. He sighed, preparing to leave when he heard a noise. Johnny turned his head as he watched two men walk out of an alley not far down the street. He blinked when he recognized one of them: LaRusso.</p>
<p>Johnny should walk away, leave before LaRusso could notice him. But he stood frozen as the two men walked toward a car. They were too far away for Johnny to hear anything they said. Then LaRusso grabbed the other man’s hand, a smile on his face. Shit. What the hell was he seeing? He had to be misreading this whole interaction. That was the only explanation. Because the reality of what he was seeing confused him otherwise.</p>
<p>Johnny turned and hurried toward his car before he could witness any more of the bizarre scene. What the hell did any of that mean? He couldn’t get that smile out of his mind. He really knew nothing about LaRusso. Why did he care about that? He didn’t! LaRusso could do whatever he wanted. It wasn’t any of Johnny’s business.</p>
<p>What was with his luck? <i>Just forget it all</i>, he told himself as he massaged his temples. <i>Forget Ali. And definitely forget about fucking LaRusso</i>. He didn’t need his past being dragged back up. He didn’t need to be reminded of his failure and of when his life was ruined.</p>
<p>His car was just up ahead of him.</p>
<p>He didn’t make it to his car.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I <i>finally</i> got to watch season 3!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You’re an idiot.” Chozen glared as he stepped into Daniel’s space. “You still don’t even know what he wants with you, and you’re just going to sit here waiting for him.” He huffed a sigh when Daniel only glared right back, standing his ground with his mouth pressed into a thin line of anger. “Fine. If you get yourself killed, I won’t cry over you.” He backed up, but he paused before he could turn to leave. “There were rumors of other things. I heard talk of a rogue-”</p>
<p>The pain hit him suddenly, and Daniel gasped, doubling over as he clutched at his side. Then a shout rang through the air. They both snapped their heads toward the source. Grimacing through the pain, Daniel broke into a run, racing down the street passing the club with Chozen hot on his heels. His foot almost slipped out from under him as he made a sharp turn down an alley. He drew to a halt, his heart jumping into his throat at the sight that greeted him.</p>
<p>The giant wolf with fur as black as the night growled around the body still in the clutches of their mouth, sharp teeth digging deep into the man’s side. Eyes glowed bright red. Fear thrummed through Daniel, freezing him to the spot. His eyes weren’t on the wolf but rather the man, more specifically, the shock of blond hair.</p>
<p>Daniel barely registered it when Chozen grabbed at his back, ripping his silver knife from its hidden sheath. Chozen charged at the wolf before Daniel knew what was happening. The knife flashed as Chozen slashed at the wolf. Dropping the body, the wolf jumped back then they snapped at him. Chozen yanked his arm away in time. He brought his leg up in a crescent kick, catching the wolf on their snout. The wolf whined at the blow. Their lips pulled back in a snarl. Then the wolf turned and ran down the alley.</p>
<p>“Wait!” Daniel shouted, finally finding his voice. Chozen ignored him as he followed after the wolf. The first deep intake of breath had him gagging on the stench of blood. “Shit.” He turned his gaze to the body laying unmoving on the ground. “Fuck!” He dropped down at the man’s side and carefully rolled him onto his back. Seeing the man’s face only confirmed what he already feared. He grimaced. “Damn it!”</p>
<p>Daniel placed his hand on Johnny’s throat, easily finding his pulse. It was there, slow and weak, but it was there. How was this happening? Daniel lifted up Johnny’s shirt to get a better look at the damage done to his side. The blood was still pumping out of the deep punctures made by the wolf’s teeth. It looked bad. Really bad. Daniel swallowed hard. He glanced around, but he was all alone in the alley. Even if someone else was around, they wouldn’t be able to help. Not with what happened to him. Daniel hurriedly pulled off his shirt then ripped it into strips. He lifted up Johnny’s body, leaning it back against him as he hastily wrapped the injury. It wasn’t the best job, and blood still seeped heavily through the makeshift bandages, but it would have to do until he got home. He had supplies there.</p>
<p>Daniel got Johnny’s arm over his shoulder, wrapping his arm around Johnny’s back. Then he rose to his feet, struggling under Johnny’s heavy dead weight.</p>
<p>“Why couldn’t you be conscious?” Daniel grumbled as he took a step toward the alley’s entrance. “I could really use the help. You’re damn heavy.” He focused on just getting Johnny to his car.</p>
<p>A few drunks tumbled out of the club, and Daniel froze. His breath caught while his heart thundered in panic. But the men paid them no attention, instead stumbling down the street as they laughed and talked, or shouted, in broken sentences that made little to no sense. The air rushed out of his lungs, and Daniel kept moving, lugging Johnny’s body with him to his car. He got Johnny into the passenger’s seat. After getting the seat belt buckled around Johnny, he hurried around to the driver’s side and climbed in. He stared at Johnny with his heart sinking. Johnny was still out cold, his head leaning against the window. The bandages around his waist were stained dark with blood.</p>
<p>“Shit!” Daniel rubbed at his temples. He didn’t need this in his life right now. But Johnny needed help, and Daniel couldn’t just ignore that.</p>
<p>Sighing, he started the car and took off down the street, driving as fast as he dared. He kept a cautious eye out for any cops that might be waiting to catch someone speeding. His heart wouldn’t stop pounding, and he tried to listen past the rush of blood in his ears for any signs of Johnny waking. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles white under the blood. His mouth was dry, and he could barely work up enough saliva to swallow.</p>
<p>When he parked at the complex, Daniel regretted his apartment being on the second floor. He glanced at Johnny then hung his head. He was going to have to carry Johnny all the way up the stairs. Shooting a glance around, he didn’t see anyone around and hoped it stayed that way. His neighbors never bothered him, but he doubted they would keep their noses out of his business if they spotted him dragging an unconscious, and clearly wounded, body up to his apartment. The universe had to be conspiring against him.</p>
<p><i>Let’s see how much worse we can make life for Daniel LaRusso</i>.</p>
<p>Daniel scoffed as he got out of the car, slamming the door shut harder than he meant to. After he popped open the passenger’s side door, he undid the seatbelt. Then he got his arms around Johnny’s waist and dragged him out of the car. The heavy weight sent him sprawling to the ground with a grunt as Johnny’s body crushed him against the parking lot pavement. He struggled to get a good look at Johnny, his face practically buried into the crook of Daniel’s neck.</p>
<p>“Couldn’t wake up just a little bit, could you?” Daniel muttered, maneuvering Johnny’s body off him. “I’d say you owe me thanks when you do finally wake up,” he shut the car door, “but I doubt you’d thank me for anything.” He crouched down, getting an arm around Johnny’s back like he had in the alley. After waiting a minute, listening and glancing around, he made his way over to the stairs.</p>
<p>One of his neighbors was fighting. The shouting came from behind a locked door, and Daniel flinched when the sound of shattering glass pierced through the indistinguishable shouts. Maybe he should have gone to Mr. Miyagi’s house, but he continued on his way, slowly hauling Johnny up the stairs to the second floor. An attempt to adjust his hold midway up the stairs almost caused him to lose his balance. He stumbled, banging his hip hard into the railing as he grabbed hold before they could both go tumbling down the stairs.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Daniel huffed before he continued up the stairs.</p>
<p>By the time he reached his apartment, his muscles were aching, and Johnny still showed no signs of waking. Daniel wanted to believe that was a good sign, but it only left a cold feeling twisting around inside him.</p>
<p>“Don’t fucking die on me,” he muttered to Johnny as he unlocked the door.</p>
<p>Daniel dragged Johnny inside, kicking the door closed behind. He didn’t bother with the lights as he made his way to his bedroom. Once he was there, he dropped Johnny’s body, unceremoniously, onto the bed. Then he pushed him over so Johnny was on his back.</p>
<p>“Great. I’m going to need new sheets after this.” Daniel left the room and went to grab his medical kit. Lugging the box back with him, he flipped on the lights in his room and stared at Johnny in his bed. “Shit.” His eyes lingered on the poorly made bandages. “Clean up.” Johnny’s blood was pooled out over the alley. It was stained on the seat of his car. “Okay.” Daniel breathed out slowly. “One thing at a time. First thing, see to Johnny’s injuries.”</p>
<p>Daniel walked over to the bed and set down his medical kit. Sitting down on the bed, he carefully worked on removing the bandages. Some of the wounds had stopped bleeding, but one or two still pushed blood out. He swallowed at the sight of the torn flesh. This wasn’t how he ever wanted to see Johnny. He left the room again, grabbing some towels and filling a bowl with warm water. When he returned, he noticed the slight wrinkle in Johnny’s brow, a mild grimace of pain. He sat down again and started carefully dabbing away the blood. Even cleaned up, the wounds still looked bad.</p>
<p>“Where is it?” Daniel muttered to himself, rifling through the contents of his medical kit.</p>
<p>The sudden movement caught him by surprise. The heavy body tackled him to the ground. His head banged on the floor, black spots sprouting briefly in his vision. His medical kit toppled over, and its contents spilled out over the floor. A hand grabbed his throat, and Daniel gasped as it squeezed tightly. Johnny’s furious face appeared above him, growling as his lip drew back in a snarl. Blood dripped from his injuries.</p>
<p>“John-” Daniel choked, the pressure on his throat cutting off his air.</p>
<p>The fear, panic, pain, and rage clouding his mind was almost too much, too intense. He clawed at the hand around his throat as he balled his other hand into a fist. His punch landed, striking Johnny’s right in the jaw. Johnny didn’t even flinch. He growled louder, his eyes blazing, glowing brightly. Daniel glared right back, as best he could while barely able to take a breath. His blunted nails scratched over the hand at his throat. He searched around with his other hand, dancing over what fell out of his medical kit. Then it closed around a syringe. With a shout, he jammed the needle into Johnny’s neck, pushing down the plunge to empty the contents into him. A beat, two, then the golden glow faded back to blue. Johnny’s eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed. Daniel wheezed under his weight. The storm of emotions washed away into blissful silence. With some effort, he managed to roll Johnny off him. He took in gasping breaths as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling.</p>
<p>When he sat up, Daniel grimaced, rubbing at his sore throat. He looked over to Johnny, and his shoulders slumped. “I guess it took.”</p>
<p>He drew his knees up, resting his arms over them as he hung his head. A bitter laugh escaped, edging on hysterical, as his eyes burned. He remembered coming across a young teen once, years ago, when the bite didn’t take. The last moments of her life were nothing but pain and agony before she took her last breath and the life left her body. He should be happy Johnny wouldn’t have to experience that, but the bite working meant Johnny’s life would never be the same.</p>
<p>Taking a shaky breath, Daniel pushed himself up to his feet. The drug would keep Johnny sedated for a few hours. Hopefully, the next time he woke up, Johnny wouldn’t try to choke him again. Daniel managed to get him back onto the bed. Then he searched through the items on the floor until he found the jar he was looking for. He dabbed at the bleeding puncture marks again before applying a good amount of the green salve to the wounds. It almost seemed like a pointless effort, but he didn’t like how some of the wounds still bled. Focusing on the task of tending to the injuries, at least, kept his mind occupied on something other than panic.</p>
<p>“What am I supposed to tell Ali?” Daniel mumbled, shaking his head. After seeing her with Johnny, his plan was to stay as far away from both of them as possible. Neither of them was supposed to get dragged into his mess of a world. He wrapped bandages around the injury. When he finished, he stared down at Johnny, a pit of sorrow opening like a gaping wound in his chest. “This isn’t how your life is supposed to go.”</p>
<p>Daniel sat there for a while before he finally moved. He rubbed at his neck, the soreness not fading. He was lucky Johnny was still going through the change. If Johnny was fully turned, Daniel probably wouldn’t even be alive at this moment. His throat would have been ripped apart in a bloody mess. He shuddered at the imagery that put in his mind. Dropping to his knees, he placed the fallen items back into his medical kit. When he finished, he carried the box back to the bathroom to stow it away. His feet dragged as he made his way back to his bedroom. He stood in the doorway, watching Johnny. His chest rose and fell evenly, like he was merely dreaming. Daniel flipped off the light then walked over and sat down on the floor, leaning back against the bed. He closed his eyes. He never should have agreed when Ali begged him to meet her at the club. He knew it wouldn’t end well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His eyes flicked beneath closed lids. His mind was filled with muddled thoughts as he struggled to crawl back to the waking world. What happened to him last night? Johnny remembered going to the club to meet with Amanda’s friend Carmen about her band. And then - He groaned as Ali popped into his head. Did that really happen? Was she really there? And she was engaged? He imagined the guy was probably some snooty dick, and he was glad he left before he had to meet the man.</p>
<p>Johnny’s eyes snapped open as another memory smacked him right in the face. A growl rumbled deep in his throat. LaRusso was there too. With some guy? He shoved that thought aside, not wanting to think any more about LaRusso.</p>
<p>Now that he was awake, a few things reached his attention. One, he didn’t recognize the room he was in. Two, an obnoxious and nauseating odor reached his nose. It was strong, pungent, smelling of something metallic. If he didn’t get away from it, he was definitely going to throw up whatever was in his stomach. Johnny sat up, preparing to make a fast exit out of the unfamiliar room when something stopped him. His eyes landed on the person sleeping against the side of the bed, head turned as it rested on his folded arms on the mattress. LaRusso. What the hell was LaRusso doing here? Why wasn’t he wearing a shirt? No, there was a more important question: Why was LaRusso covered in blood? Whose blood was all over his hands?</p>
<p>Johnny swallowed as he lowered his gaze to take a look at himself. He wasn’t wearing a shirt either. There was blood all over the sheets. He tentatively reached for the bandages around his waist then tugged them away. Checking his body over, he saw no signs of injury. Why would he be bandaged up if he wasn’t injured? But - Something tickled at his brain, a memory he couldn’t grasp, but his insides clenched with some undefined panic.</p>
<p>The smell hit him again, and Johnny launched out of the bed. Shit, that was awful! He scrambled out of the room and found the bathroom. His stomach wouldn’t stop churning. He gripped the side of the sink, trying to force down the sick feeling trying to crawl its way up his throat. It wasn’t like it was a lot of blood. Why was the smell of it so strong? After a few minutes, he searched the bathroom until he found a towel. He soaked it in the sink then made his way back to the bedroom. He needed to get rid of the blood.</p>
<p>Then he had some questions for LaRusso.</p>
<p>Johnny tried not to breathe too much, or at least not deeply, after he stepped back into the bedroom. LaRusso hadn’t moved from where he slept on the floor against the bed. What was with this guy? Was he such a sound sleeper that even an earthquake wouldn’t wake him?</p>
<p>Johnny sat down on the bed and picked up one of LaRusso’s arms. LaRusso’s head thumped onto the mattress, a slight crease appearing on his brow, but otherwise, he didn’t move. Johnny scrubbed at the dry blood on his hand and forearm but paused almost immediately. He noticed it then. The steady ba-bump of a heartbeat quickened. He stared at LaRusso, who still wasn’t moving, but his heart definitely picked up in speed. His breath came in short gasps. Johnny almost jumped when LaRusso’s hand curled around the sheets, and around his own hand, squeezing tightly. His body trembled. His mouth moved, like he was trying to speak but the words refused to come out. His eyes moved rapidly behind closed lids.</p>
<p>“What the shit?” Johnny’s brain shouted at him to just leave LaRusso there to suffer through whatever nightmare he was having. But the need to get answers kept him right where he was. Ditching the towel, he shook at LaRusso’s shoulder, trying to wake him.</p>
<p>LaRusso tightened his hold on his hand until Johnny winced, almost believing he might break some bones. His heart sounded like it was trying to beat right out of his chest. He made a sound, gasping like he couldn’t get any air, but he wouldn’t wake up.</p>
<p>“Damn it,” Johnny muttered as he slid off the bed. Then he pulled LaRusso to him, holding his arms in place across his chest, in case he flailed them about. “Hey!” he shouted into LaRusso’s ear. “Wake up, idiot!”</p>
<p>LaRusso pulled against his hold. His breath still wouldn’t come to him, and his heart was still too fast.</p>
<p>“Damn it, LaRusso!” Johnny tightened his arms around LaRusso’s body so he wouldn’t be able to move. Though LaRusso fought against him, there wasn’t much strength to it. Maybe it was just some kind of instinctual response to being shouted at. Johnny frowned. If that was true, then he needed a different method to wake up LaRusso. This wasn’t the kind of thing he was good at. Johnny’s mouth thinned as he considered what to do. He couldn’t think of anything. Lowering his head close to LaRusso’s shoulder, he huffed out a breath through his nose as a frustrated growl built in the back of his throat.</p>
<p>LaRusso stilled, his heart stalling with his breath. Johnny turned his head. LaRusso scrambled to get away from him.</p>
<p>“Let go!” LaRusso shouted, panic clear in his voice.</p>
<p>Johnny released his hold, and LaRusso shot forward, slamming into the nightstand next to the bed. He would have laughed at that, but something was off about all of this. “What the hell is going on, LaRusso?”</p>
<p>LaRusso swallowed then slowly turned around, his brown eyes wide and startled like a deer caught in the headlights. There was a small cut under his left eye. Johnny almost couldn’t tear his gaze away from those eyes. But when he did, he dropped his eyes, which gradually widened as he took in the bruising on LaRusso’s throat. Bruising that looked like a handprint. What the hell happened last night?</p>
<p>“Shit,” LaRusso muttered, raking a blood covered hand through his dark hair.</p>
<p>“Damn it, LaRusso,” Johnny barked. “Could you calm the fuck down?” The constant rapid heartbeat was quickly making his head pound to the same rhythm. He reached up to rub at his forehead, trying to will the headache away.</p>
<p>LaRusso stared for a minute before he sat back on his legs. He closed his eyes, slowing his breathing with deep in and out breaths. Gradually, his heart returned to a steady, gentle beat. “Sorry,” he murmured just barely above a whisper.</p>
<p>“Whatever,” Johnny grumbled, but he was thankful when the pounding in his head faded. “Now, can you explain what the hell is going on?” He looked up to meet LaRusso’s gaze.</p>
<p>“What, um,” LaRusso rolled his lower lip between his teeth, his eyes flicking away, “do you remember about last night?”</p>
<p>“Uh, well, let’s see,” Johnny said, sarcasm tinging his voice. “I remember going to a club and running into Ali who was all excited about wanting to introduce me to her fiancé. Then-”</p>
<p>“Aren’t you her fiancé?” LaRusso’s brow creased, his head tilting slightly to the side.</p>
<p>Johnny squinted at him, trying to figure out what game LaRusso was playing. His heart kept a steady beat. “I know you hit that thing pretty hard, but I’m pretty sure you didn’t hit your head hard enough to be that stupid. That was the first time I’ve seen Ali since graduating high school.”</p>
<p>LaRusso stared at him then blinked, his eyebrows shooting up toward his hairline. “Oh.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Oh, wow, I’m an idiot.”</p>
<p>“That goes without saying.” Johnny shrugged.</p>
<p>LaRusso shot him a glare. Then he sighed, readjusting the way he sat so he could lean back against the nightstand.  Now that he was looking at him fully, Johnny noticed more scars dotting LaRusso’s chest, faint pale lines marring his tanned skin. Where did LaRusso get all of those?</p>
<p>“And then?” LaRusso gestured with a hand for him to keep speaking.</p>
<p>Johnny rolled a shoulder. “Then I left before meeting the dick.” He reached over and grabbed the towel off the bed. He threw it, and LaRusso caught it. “Clean up. The blood is grossing me out.”</p>
<p>LaRusso looked down at himself as if only now realizing he had blood all over him. “You left?” He rubbed at his arms with the towel, ridding the dried blood from his skin. “That’s it? You don’t remember anything else?”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned. Was LaRusso trying to get him to confess to spotting him with that other guy? His eyes narrowed as he watched LaRusso clean himself. “And I walked to my car. But-” Something nagged at his memory. He couldn’t quite remember, but he knew he definitely didn’t make it to his car. Something stopped him. Something - He blinked, almost reeling backward as the thought hit him. He looked over his body again, still not finding any obvious signs of injury. “Something attacked me.” His hand ran over his side, fingers ghosting over his skin like he expected to find scars there.</p>
<p>“Werewolves have accelerated healing,” LaRusso said as he kept his focus on cleaning the remaining blood from his body, dabbing at his face where spots of blood were. “The bite healed, but you were still bleeding when I brought you here. So, I patched you up just so you wouldn’t bleed out while you were going through the change.”</p>
<p>The words made no sense in Johnny’s head. What the hell was LaRusso saying? “Maybe you did hit your head. You’re speaking nonsense now.”</p>
<p>LaRusso let out a sigh as he tossed the towel onto the ruined sheets of his bed. Then he lifted his gaze to Johnny. “You can hear my heart. Did it stutter? Did I sound like I was lying? You. Are. A. Werewolf.”</p>
<p>Johnny listened to LaRusso’s heart, the even ba-bump, steady without a single hiccup as he spoke. He shook his head. This was crazy! “Werewolves aren’t real, LaRusso.” But why could he hear LaRusso’s heart so clearly? Why was the smell of blood so strong? And now that he focused on it, he could smell other things under that strong metallic scent. There was something earthy with a touch of pine and - No! He forced himself not to focus on the different scents in the room.</p>
<p>“There’s a lot of shit you think aren't real but are actually very real,” LaRusso said, anger swelling in his voice as his gaze hardened. Even though he still looked younger than his age, his eyes seemed ancient, like he had seen too much.</p>
<p>Johnny shot to his feet and turned to leave the room. He didn’t need to sit here and listen to a bunch of bullshit. He didn’t care how steady LaRusso’s heartbeat remained. Werewolves weren’t real.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” LaRusso shouted, scrambling to follow him. “There’s a full moon tonight.”</p>
<p>Johnny whirled around on him, and LaRusso halted before he could crash right into him. “I don’t care,” he yelled in LaRusso’s face. “Every word out of your mouth is bullshit. What kind of sick game are you playing here? Werewolves? Really? I didn’t think you’d have to resort to scraping the bottom of the crazy barrel to fuck with me.”</p>
<p>“Damn it, Johnny!” LaRusso stood tensely, his fists clenching tightly at his sides as he glared. Frustration flowed off him. “I’m not trying to fuck with you. I’m trying to help you!”</p>
<p>“I didn’t ask for your help!” Johnny snapped back, but LaRusso didn’t even flinch.</p>
<p>“John-”</p>
<p>“No!” Johnny grabbed hold of him and slammed him into the wall. LaRusso gasped, his eyes growing wide. “I don’t-” He frowned at the stench of panic strong in the air. LaRusso remained very still, barely even breathing. There was something off about his eyes that he couldn’t put a finger on. Johnny’s gaze dipped, focusing on the bruising on his throat. He jolted away, releasing his hold on LaRusso. Already, he could see bruises forming on his arms. Shit. Was he really the one who choked LaRusso last night? Why didn’t he remember something like that?</p>
<p>LaRusso breathed in shakily, closing his eyes as he sank to the floor. “Johnny,” he said in a small, raspy voice, “why didn’t you make it to your car last night?”</p>
<p>“I already answered that.” Johnny shoved down his own panic. He refused to believe these lies LaRusso was trying to spin. It wasn’t real.</p>
<p>LaRusso opened his eyes and stared in his direction. His gaze seemed unfocused, like there was too much noise in his head. There was no fear or panic in the air now, just a desperate need to be believed. “But <i>what</i> attacked you?”</p>
<p>“I’m not doing this, LaRusso.”</p>
<p>“It was a wolf. A big, black wolf with red eyes. I saw it!” LaRusso shouted, his eyes finally snapping back into focus as he glared up at Johnny. “I saw them holding you in their mouth. And when it ran off, I was left to see you bleeding out in the alley. Would you rather have been left there? Would you rather have woken up in a pool of blood in some disgusting alley?” His voice shook with rage as he pushed himself back up to his feet. “Because even when the bite takes, depending on how bad the damage is, you could have still bled out. Too much blood loss, and you would be too weak for the change. It would have <i>killed</i> you.”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head. “Just stop it, LaRusso.”</p>
<p>LaRusso stomped forward, crowding into Johnny’s space. “Stop being so stubborn for once and just trust me, Johnny!”</p>
<p>“Trust you?” Johnny snarled. “Why would I ever trust you? Just stay out of my life.” He moved toward the door.</p>
<p>“Where are you going?” LaRusso followed after him.</p>
<p>“I have work. And thanks to you, I now have to go pick up my car.” Johnny patted his pockets. He still had his keys and his wallet, thankfully. He pulled out a folded piece of paper from his pocket and stared at it. For a moment, he didn’t understand why he had it. Then he remembered meeting Carmen. The address was still readable, despite some blood having soaked through to the flyer. Right. They had their band practice tonight. He was supposed to meet them to see if they would accept him into the band.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” LaRusso pleaded.</p>
<p>“No.” Johnny shot a glare at LaRusso. “We’re done. I don’t want to ever see you again.” He yanked open the apartment door and walked out, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. Who cared if he woke any of LaRusso’s neighbors? That would be his problem to deal with, not Johnny’s. Right now, he needed to find a taxi to take him back to that damn club to pick up his car. He growled, rubbing at his forehead. All the smells and sounds around him drove spikes of pain into his head. Work was going to be fun today. He was tempted to skip it and just crawl into bed when he made it back to his apartment. But he couldn’t afford to skip. He needed the money.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel rushed to the door, throwing it open, and watched Johnny as he stormed off before disappearing when he turned down the stairs. Shit! He rubbed at his forehead. What was he supposed to do now? Why did he think that would go any other way? Of course, he would sound crazy talking about werewolves! Johnny didn’t even have any marks left on his body to show he was even attacked. Daniel still couldn’t get the image of Johnny in the wolf’s mouth, Johnny bleeding out in the alley, out of his mind.</p>
<p>“It’s the full moon tonight.”</p>
<p>Daniel jumped at the voice, his heart nearly leaping into his throat. “What the hell, Chozen?” He spun around to pin a glare on him, holding a hand over his heart. “And I’m already aware it’s a full moon.”</p>
<p>Chozen stared past him before turning his attention to Daniel. “And you let him leave?”</p>
<p>“What did you expect me to do?” Daniel threw up his arms as he entered his apartment. “Tie him up in the bedroom? You know that wouldn’t work. I don’t have anything strong enough to hold a werewolf.”</p>
<p>“He’s going to go through his first shift tonight.” Chozen followed, pulling the door shut behind him. “He could lose control. He could hurt someone.”</p>
<p>“I’m aware of that!” Daniel spun around, his eyes blazing with his frustration. “But he wouldn’t accept my help.”</p>
<p>Chozen sighed then pulled something from behind him. He tossed the silver dagger, and Daniel caught it easily, inspecting it. “I took her to the pack Alpha in this area. They’ll decide her punishment for biting someone.” Chozen was silent for a moment, watching as Daniel tucked away the dagger in his back pocket. “Your friend, on the other hand-”</p>
<p>“I know!” Daniel ran his hands through his hair, tugging at the dark locks. “Damn it! I know what will happen if he attacks someone.” The Alpha of the local pack would allow Johnny to live freely, if he didn’t want to join their pack. But the moment Johnny attacked anyone, the Alpha would come to put Johnny down. It froze the blood running in his veins to think of that happening if Johnny lost control over himself during his first shift.</p>
<p>Chozen looked him over, his expression stony. “You’re lucky he didn’t kill you.”</p>
<p>Daniel scowled before turning to head for his bedroom. “It would be better than some alternatives.” He was thankful when Chozen didn’t respond to that comment. Once in his room, he dug through his closet, finding a clean shirt. As he stared at it, panic hit him. He snapped his gaze to Chozen, who leaned against the door frame with his arms folded.</p>
<p>“The alley is cleaned up. You’ll have to deal with your car yourself.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, thanks.” Some of the tension in him relaxed. Daniel shrugged on the shirt. He changed into a fresh pair of jeans, only remembering then about the cut Chozen gave him on his cheek, uncomfortably close to his eye. He already had so many other scars decorating his body. What was one more? He ran his thumb over his newest acquisition with a tired sigh. He already felt old and broken.</p>
<p>After he changed, and placing his daggers back into his hidden sheaths, Daniel flicked his gaze to the clock on his nightstand. He didn’t have work at the country club today; a good thing since he would be late if he did have a shift. Finding his keys and wallet, he pushed past Chozen on his way out of his room. He left the apartment, waiting for Chozen to follow so he could lock the door. Chozen tagged along behind him as Daniel walked to his car. His nose wrinkled when he saw the dried blood on the passenger seat and the steering wheel. He would need to get that all cleaned up before someone noticed it and decided to call the cops with some wild theory that he murdered someone.</p>
<p>With a sigh, Daniel climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car. Chozen dropped into the passenger’s seat without comment. Daniel ignored him as he drove away from the apartment complex. He was still exhausted from everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. Johnny grabbing hold of him earlier hadn’t helped things. His anger and fear still buzzed just under the surface. In that moment Johnny slammed him into the wall, Daniel thought would drown in those emotions from how overwhelming they were. His hands tightened around the steering wheel as he pulled his focus back onto the road. Chozen’s eyes remained on him for the duration of the silent car ride.</p>
<p>When they arrived, they found Mr. Miyagi out back in the garden. It felt like coming home whenever he came to Mr. Miyagi’s house. A home that no longer belonged to him. He wished he could move back in, but it wouldn’t be safe. This place was known.</p>
<p>“Ah, Daniel-san, Chozen-san,” Mr. Miyagi greeted them with a smile and a bob of his head. He stood up, cleaning the dirt from his knees with one hand as he tucked his shears into his pocket. His face pinched when his eyes landed on Daniel’s neck with the dark bruises. “What has happened?” He walked over to Daniel, concern evident in the creases on his aged face.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed as he sat down on the deck along the back of the house. It wasn’t the same as the one he sanded when he first trained here. Mr. Miyagi must have replaced it, and probably many other things around the house and yard, after they returned here a year ago. He ran his fingers over the grain of the wood. He should have helped with this. Guilt gnawed at his insides. He tried not to come here too often.</p>
<p>“You remember Johnny Lawrence?” Daniel lifted his gaze as Mr. Miyagi sat down beside him. Chozen remained standing with his arms folded.</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi hummed as he nodded. “Johnny-san, yes. Very strong, but bad teacher.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Daniel bit the corner of his lip. He could feel the impatience from Chozen and shot him a glare.</p>
<p>“If you can feel that, you’re letting your control slip.”</p>
<p>Daniel scowled at Chozen’s smug smirk. Then he turned to Mr. Miyagi. “He was bit by a werewolf last night.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi frowned, turning his gaze out over the garden. Daniel shifted nervously, fidgeting with his hands but somehow managing to stop himself from chewing at his fingernails. “Daniel-san, you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to accept your help.”</p>
<p>It felt like a punch to the gut, and Daniel hung his head. He knew that already, but he was hoping Mr. Miyagi would have some kind of advice for how he could convince Johnny to listen to him. “He wouldn’t even believe me when I told him what happened. He refuses to believe werewolves are real.”</p>
<p>Chozen snorted. “And you’re surprised by that?”</p>
<p>“The truth isn’t always easy to accept, Chozen-san.” Mr. Miyagi’s eyes were hard and sharp as he snapped his gaze to Chozen. “But Johnny-san won’t be able to keep denying it after he experiences his first shift.”</p>
<p>“Which is why he needs someone to help him through it,” Daniel argued, the plea in his voice making him cringe. He lowered his gaze when Mr. Miyagi turned to him.</p>
<p>“You can’t protect everyone, Daniel-san.” Mr. Miyagi reached out, placing a hand over Daniel’s. Instantly, Daniel felt his warmth and understanding, something that always brought him a sense of calmness. Mr. Miyagi was probably the only person Daniel didn’t shy away from when it came to being touched.</p>
<p>“Right now, he should be thinking about protecting himself,” Chozen said with a hard edge to his voice. “You never should have stayed here for this long. And now he’s here. It won’t be long before he finds you.”</p>
<p>“Then I’ll deal with him when that happens,” Daniel said firmly, but doubt crept into his mind as he felt the concern flowing through him. He jerked his hand away from Mr. Miyagi then instantly felt guilty.</p>
<p>“Three days!” Chozen shouted, and Daniel flinched at the anger. “The last time you saw him, you were out for three days. He got into your head and shut you down. You can’t handle it when he’s around. He’ll come for you, and you’ll fall right into his hands.”</p>
<p>His hands were shaking, and Daniel quickly balled them into fists. “I think I remember-”</p>
<p>“No!” Chozen’s eyes blazed, and Daniel jerked, his back straightening at the bark. “You’re never going to be strong enough to face him. You have to run.”</p>
<p>Daniel folded his arms over his knees then dropped his head onto his arms. “I don’t want to keep running. I’m tired. I want this to be over. If he comes for me, fine. Whatever. As long as it’s over, I don’t care.”</p>
<p>“Daniel-san,” Mr. Miyagi said gently, and when he touched his arm, Daniel could feel his love like a comforting blanket wrapping around him.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Mr. Miyagi.” Daniel choked, trying to swallow back his emotions. “I just can’t keep living like this.”</p>
<p>“Fine. Get yourself killed,” Chozen bit out, and Daniel shrank in on himself. “It was nice to see you again, Miyagi-san. I have to get back home now.”</p>
<p>“Goodbye, Chozen-san.” After the gate slammed shut, Mr. Miyagi placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder and squeezed it. “He worries about you. We both do.”</p>
<p>Daniel turned his head, his tears threatening to fall. “What am I supposed to do, Mr. Miyagi?” The first tear slid down the slant of his nose to hang on the tip of it. “I’ve been running all these years, and I just can’t anymore. And what about Johnny? He needs someone to help him through what happened to him. I can’t just leave him, even if he hates me.”</p>
<p>“We will figure something out. I won’t allow him to harm you, Daniel-san.”</p>
<p>Daniel closed his eyes, the tears streaming down his face. He knew Mr. Miyagi would do everything he could to protect him. But the last time they faced off, Mr. Miyagi barely won, and may not have if Chozen wasn’t with them at the time. He was older, and his age was catching up to him. One day, Mr. Miyagi would no longer be there to protect him. Daniel knew when that happened, nothing would save him. Terry Silver would find him, and he would finally take him. Daniel preferred death to that.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed as he sat up straight and swiped at his eyes, trying to get rid of the evidence of his tears. “Let’s focus on what we can actually do.” He slapped his hands down on his knees and turned to Mr. Miyagi. “Johnny. I need to keep him safe, but I don’t even know how to find him. We’ve only crossed paths by accident.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi gave him a hard stare. Then he nodded as he stood and placed himself in front of where Daniel sat. “There may be a way for you to locate him.”</p>
<p>Daniel frowned deeply with his uncertainty. “How would I do that?”</p>
<p>“You’ve trained to block out what other people feel.” Mr. Miyagi took hold of Daniel’s hands, that same warmth calming him. “Perhaps, if you can focus on a particular person’s signature, you could locate them.”</p>
<p>Daniel’s brow knitted. “Is something like that even possible?”</p>
<p>“Won’t know until you try.”</p>
<p>“Okay,” Daniel said doubtfully. “So, how would this work?”</p>
<p>“Do you feel me?”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded. He was certain he would be able to know Mr. Miyagi anywhere after the many years of familiarizing himself with the emotions Mr. Miyagi gave off. But that was only when they touched in some way. He typically kept up his mental shields to prevent getting overwhelmed by people’s emotions screaming at him. The only time he really let anything get through his shields was when he was working so he could know if someone was trying to shoplift at the mini mart or to keep up with customers and prevent accidents at the country club.</p>
<p>“Focus on it.” Mr. Miyagi pulled his hands away from Daniel. The feeling remained, though not as strongly as it was through physical touch. “Do you have it in your mind?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Now, close your eyes and let your mind go blank.”</p>
<p>Daniel stared, frowning, then closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and pushed Mr. Miyagi’s warmth out of his mind, reluctantly. “Okay. I don’t feel anything. Now what?”</p>
<p>“Count to fifty. Then search for me.”</p>
<p>“Wait. What?” Daniel turned his head but kept his eyes closed. Mr. Miyagi’s voice had moved away from him. He received no response. Shoulders slumping, Daniel sighed heavily then began counting. When he reached fifty, he opened his eyes and glanced around the garden. He was alone. “Okay.” He stood up, wiping his palms on his pants. “I can do this.”</p>
<p>Daniel dropped his mental guards and concentrated, drawing up that familiar feeling Mr. Miyagi always had. Out here, no one else was around to interfere, but it still took him several minutes to sense that feeling. Mr. Miyagi managed to put some distance between them. Daniel walked over to the gate, left slightly ajar so he wouldn’t hear it when it closed. He let the feeling guide his way, walking beyond the train tracks until he finally came upon Mr. Miyagi.</p>
<p>“Well done.” Mr. Miyagi wore a proud smile. “But that was easy.”</p>
<p>Daniel grimaced. Without interference and knowing Mr. Miyagi so deeply in his bones, it wasn’t hard to track him like that. In a populated area, it would be far more difficult. “I don’t even know what Johnny would feel like.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi’s fingers gently touched the bruises on Daniel’s throat. “He’s touched you.”</p>
<p>Frowning, Daniel lowered his gaze. “A brief touch won’t be enough for me to lock onto him.”</p>
<p>“You’ll get it. Just need to concentrate.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded, though doubt clung to him. He followed Mr. Miyagi back to the house.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny’s mood didn’t improve. He managed to grab a taxi to take him back to the club. The driver kept giving him weird looks through the rearview mirror. Johnny merely folded his arms over his bare chest and glared out the window. What the hell was the deal with LaRusso? Why was he spinning some crazy ass lies about werewolves? Why did he drag Johnny’s unconscious ass back to his apartment? Johnny clenched his jaw. LaRusso had blood all over him, but Johnny had no wounds, despite the bandages he woke up with. But he couldn’t ignore the tingle of a memory. When LaRusso pushed him, pieces of it started to come back. Johnny refused to acknowledge it or think too hard about it.</p>
<p>Once he got to his car, he drove back to his apartment for a quick shower. The warm water felt good, and it almost felt like he could wash away all the bullshit that happened last night, after his meeting with Carmen and her band. Johnny sighed as he dried off after he stepped out of the shower. Why did LaRusso always have to turn his life upside down whenever he showed up?</p>
<p>At least, his life hadn’t turned out any better.</p>
<p>LaRusso worked at a mini mart of all places, and his apartment was a dump. Not that Johnny could say his place was much better. But he took some satisfaction in the fact that LaRusso didn’t end up marrying Ali and going off to live some amazing and successful life. LaRusso, apparently, had lost a few marbles over the years, though. What happened to him to make him believe in shit like werewolves?</p>
<p>Johnny shook the thoughts from his head. He was trying <i>not</i> to think about LaRusso any more. Throwing the towel onto his bed, he got dressed for work. Another wonderful day of doing odd jobs for the rich people in Encino, who would talk down on him like he was an insignificant gnat they needed to stomp on.</p>
<p>When he walked into his kitchen, he pulled open the refrigerator door, but after a quick sniff of the contents, he slammed the door shut again. His stomach churned, but the smell of rotting food made him lose his appetite. He would just have to grab something at lunch. Stuffing his keys and wallet into his pocket, he left the apartment.</p>
<p>Work ended up being more of a headache than usual. The moment he stepped inside the fancy mansion of a house to meet with the client, he was overwhelmed by the heavy scents of perfumes and floral arrangements and cleaning chemicals. It made him woozy, and he wanted to vomit right there on the woman. With great effort and a grimace, he swallowed down that urge as he listened to her rattle off all the things she wanted him to do around the house, starting with retiling the bathroom of the master bedroom. Her voice irritated him, like nails on a chalkboard, setting him on edge.</p>
<p>He almost missed LaRusso’s voice.</p>
<p>The woman - What was her name again? He should probably know that. Mrs. Porter, he was pretty sure that was it. Mrs. Porter already had the tiles picked out and bought. Johnny just needed to do the work. He grabbed his tools and followed her to the bathroom in question. Then he got to work.</p>
<p>Johnny was halfway through removing the tile when he doubled over with a shout. Laying on his side, he drew his knees up and curled into a fetal position as he clutched at his heart. A pain shot through him, like something stabbed right into his heart and kept twisting in deeper. Sweat gathered on his brow, and his breath came in harsh pants.</p>
<p>“What’s going-”</p>
<p>Johnny thrust his leg out, slamming the bathroom door shut on Mrs. Porter before she could catch sight of him. Or at least, he hoped he was fast enough. She banged on the door, each pounding of her fist drumming into his skull. What the hell was this? He couldn’t remember feeling anything so horrible in his life.</p>
<p>“Open the damn door!” Mrs. Porter shouted. “You better not be using the toilet in there. I told you you’re not allowed to use it. Do I have to call your boss?”</p>
<p>It took a few more minutes for the pain to subside and his breathing to reach something close to normal. But his heart hammered in his chest, and his limbs ached like he already worked a full day doing heavy lifting. He pushed himself onto his hands and knees then shakily climbed to his feet. Yanking the door open a crack, he glared at Mrs. Porter’s furious face. She had a clump of mascara at the corner of one eye that he found annoying as hell. Her face twisted when she got a good look at him.</p>
<p>“Ugh, you look like shit.”</p>
<p>Johnny wanted to tell her the same. “Cut myself,” he grunted, blocking the sight of the bathroom while keeping his other hand well out of sight. “I didn’t think you’d want to see the blood. I’ll get it cleaned up right away.”</p>
<p>Mrs. Porter’s mouth pursed unhappily. “It better not be on any of the new tiling.”</p>
<p>“Just on the old stuff,” Johnny assured her, and the answer seemed to satisfy her. When she left, he breathed out a sigh and closed the bathroom door again. He pressed his forehead against it, rubbing a hand over his chest. What just happened to him? That wasn’t normal, and he had no good explanation for it. Could LaRusso - Johnny shook his head. No, he wouldn’t let his mind go down the rabbit hole. Werewolves weren’t real.</p>
<p>Johnny let out a shaky breath before he pushed away from the door. He just needed to focus on his work and get it over with so he could leave. Kneeling on the floor again, he started prying up the old tiling again.</p>
<p>At noon, he took a much needed break and went out to get lunch. He picked up a prepackaged sandwich from the deli section of a mini mart then sat out on the hood of his car as he ate. He devoured the sandwich in minutes. After a quick mental debate, he walked back into the mini mart and bought three more. They were gone just as quickly as the first sandwich, but his stomach was full and grateful for the food, especially after skipping breakfast. After being outside in the fresh, kind of, open air, he dreaded going back to working inside that house where every scent seemed to want to murder his poor nose.</p>
<p>He eventually drove back to the house. Because he needed to keep his job.</p>
<p>Johnny managed to get the bathroom finished before it got too late. Mrs. Porter paid him for the work, but he would have to return again tomorrow for whatever else she wanted to have done. Johnny picked up takeout on his way back to his apartment. He ate while he drove, finishing the burger and fries and most of the soda before he parked. After entering his apartment, he dumped the trash in the kitchen trash can. He felt gross and sweaty after the day’s work, so he took a rather quick shower to wash off the grime. It was just past six by the time he got dressed and left again, with his bass guitar case in hand. Hopefully, Carmen’s band would still be practicing.</p>
<p>Johnny checked the address written on the flyer again then lifted his gaze to the house he parked in front of. It was a fairly nice place, nowhere near as big and fancy as the places in Encino, but it looked homey. It was the kind of place he used to dream about when he lived with his mother in crappy apartments. Bushes grew along the front of the house with flowers sprouting up in front of them, and a tree stood tall in the yard. Johnny could picture his mother kneeling out front and working on planting flowers or pulling up weeds. It made for a nice little fantasy, even if it dampened his mood. Sighing, he climbed out of the car, grabbing the guitar case, and walked up to the front door to ring the bell.</p>
<p>The door opened, and Carmen smiled brightly at him. “You made it!” She dressed more casually now, jeans and a loose tee that slipped off one shoulder.</p>
<p>“You mean I’m not too late?” Johnny stepped into the house, giving the front hall a brief glance. From somewhere inside, he caught a whiff of tomato sauce and garlic and pepperoni and deliciously melted cheese. His stomach growled, despite having eaten not too long ago.</p>
<p>“We were just taking a quick pizza break.” Carmen led the way down the hall to the kitchen. “Since you said you were working, we pushed back when we usually start our practice.”</p>
<p>“I hope that didn’t interfere with any gigs.”</p>
<p>“Nope,” the drummer answered, looking up from picking something off her slice of pizza. “We didn’t have anything for tonight.” She shrugged then took a large bite out of her slice. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled up in a sloppy ponytail, and she only wore a light amount of makeup, which made her look more youthful.</p>
<p>“We should probably do actual introductions now,” the guitarist said, setting his beer bottle on the kitchen counter where he stood with the drummer. He wiped his hands clean on a paper towel sitting next to him on the counter then walked over to hold out a hand to him. “Name’s Luke.”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his hand while the drummer quickly finished off her pizza then chugged a gulp of her beer before joining them. She slapped hand on Luke’s shoulder, grinning as she stuck out her other hand to him.</p>
<p>“Hazel.”</p>
<p>“Johnny. But you already know that.” He shook her hand too.</p>
<p>“So, what’s your experience like?” Hazel walked back over to her spot leaning on the counter. She grabbed another slice of pizza and plopped it onto her plate.</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his shoulder. “I started playing when I was fifteen. It was more of a hobby back then. I was kind of into something else at the time. Uh, college, I found a couple people to play with at some clubs around the area, but it didn’t really last long. Most recently, I’ve been playing in my ex-girlfriend’s band. That’s been a bit of a nightmare.”</p>
<p>“I can imagine.” Carmen patted his shoulder with a sympathetic frown.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and I wasn’t into all the drinking and drug use they were all doing.” Johnny grimaced, remembering the mess they made of his apartment the last time they were there. “Not that I’ve never done any of that stuff myself. But the thrill of smoking joints in the school bathroom kind of lost its appeal for me a long time ago.”</p>
<p>“He’s upfront.” Hazel nodded. “I like that.”</p>
<p>“Well, if we’re all ready, we can head out to the garage and start,” Carmen announced, heading for the door at the back of the kitchen.</p>
<p>Johnny followed after her. Luke and Hazel joined them after another quick bite of pizza and a few gulps from their beer.</p>
<p>The garage was separate from the house and seemed more like a guest house than a garage. A comfy looking couch was pushed up to one side of the spacious room, and the table in front of it was littered with notebooks and papers and music albums. A drum kit was set up right in the middle of the room, and there were a number of guitars resting in stands off to the side. Some sheets were strung up on a cord hung from one side of the garage to the other behind the drum kit. The sheets were parted enough for Johnny to see a bed with clothes strewn all over the rumpled blankets.</p>
<p>“This is my place,” Hazel said, dropping into her seat at the drum kit. She beamed at him as she twirled a drumstick in her hand.</p>
<p>“You’d think she’d be embarrassed about still living at home with her parents at twenty-six.” Luke picked up one of the guitars and slung the strap around his neck.</p>
<p>Hazel shrugged. “I’m not still <i>in</i> their house, though. But at least they don’t make me pay rent. Plus, it gives us all this room for band practice. You,” she pointed her drumsticks at Luke with a sharp look in her eyes, “live in a cramped, one bedroom apartment.”</p>
<p>“My apartment isn’t much better,” Carmen said, “so you really shouldn’t make fun of her for still living at home. We wouldn’t have any place to practice otherwise.”</p>
<p>“Okay, okay.” Luke rolled his eyes. Then he turned to Johnny. “Want to show us what you’ve got?”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded as he crouched down, placing his case on the floor. Carmen and her bandmates seemed like pretty good people, and they had nice steady heartbeats as they talked with each other. Something about that put him at ease. Removing his bass guitar from its case, he stood back up, pulling the strap over his head. He checked that everything was properly tuned then looked up to find them all watching him intently.</p>
<p>“Any requests?” Johnny lifted an eyebrow, maybe feeling slightly - <i>very slightly</i> - uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gazes.</p>
<p>“Whatever you like.” Carmen shrugged as she drew a tall stool over to perch upon while he played.</p>
<p>Nodding, Johnny thought for a moment before he started playing. It wasn’t anything amazing, but his mother liked it when he played it for her. He would never call himself a song writer, but he tweaked and played with the melody over the years, never really satisfied with how it sounded. He hadn’t played this song for anyone, other than his mother, before now. It was something slow, like a ballad, not really the type of music he was more known for playing. He definitely would never let Shannon, or her dumb bandmates, hear it. For some reason, with Carmen, Luke, and Hazel, he felt like he could play this song without being mocked for it.</p>
<p>Johnny almost jumped out of his skin when Luke joined in on his guitar. His steely gaze focused on Johnny’s hands, a wrinkle of concentration in his brow, but his mouth curled in a grin. Then Hazel came in on the drums, and Carmen hummed to the melody, tapping her hand on her thigh. Johnny smiled, relief washing over him. A part of him feared they would laugh at his song.</p>
<p>After the last note rang out, Carmen sent a grin to her bandmates. “I have a good feeling about this.”</p>
<p>“That was a pretty cool song.” Luke found another stool to drag over so he could sit. “Never heard it before. What’s it called?”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh,” Johnny ducked his head, “I never really gave it a name.”</p>
<p>“Talented bass player and he can write his own songs?” Hazel’s eyes twinkled as she glanced over to Carmen. “I think we have a winner.”</p>
<p>Carmen laughed. “I guess you’ve charmed us all, Johnny. Welcome to the band!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“And here I thought you were leaving.” Daniel slipped into the booth across from Chozen. He grinned when Chozen lifted his gaze and landed a glare on him.</p>
<p>“My flight doesn’t leave for a few hours.” Chozen set his chopsticks down on the table. “How did you find me?”</p>
<p>Daniel shrugged, leaning back against the booth. “Mr. Miyagi taught me a little trick I can do. I just followed your hatred toward me.” It actually wasn’t as simple as he made it sound. He wasn’t nearly as familiar with Chozen’s emotional signature as he was with Mr. Miyagi. It took him some time just to be able to recall how it felt. Then with all the people in the Valley, it was even harder to track him down. He was surprised he actually managed to find Chozen before he left the continent.</p>
<p>“About time you figured out a use for your abilities.” Chozen raised a cup to his mouth and sipped at it. He didn’t sound impressed at all. “Now, if only you knew how to properly block out people’s emotions.”</p>
<p>“Abilities. Curse.” Daniel waved it off flippantly. “I never heard you suggesting ways I could make use of it.”</p>
<p>Chozen glared as his mouth thinned. “Is there something you wanted?”</p>
<p>“I want to know where to find the Alpha.”</p>
<p>“Then you’re staying here.” Chozen sighed, shaking his head.</p>
<p>“I’ve met with packs before. I’ve lived with them. I know their rules.” Daniel leaned forward on the table, folding his arms on top of it. “And I also know they can’t always be trusted. The one that bit Johnny was clearly a rogue Alpha. My guess is that by now, she’s already been killed. Which I would say is a good thing because it means come moon rise, Johnny won’t have an Alpha calling to him. But at the same time, it puts him without a pack, which makes him vulnerable. If I can get him to agree to meet with the pack, I’ll need to know where to find them.”</p>
<p>Chozen tilted his head, his eyes piercing. “You don’t trust this pack.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know this pack. And if Johnny might become part of them, I want to know who they are.” It wouldn’t be his choice in the end. Daniel knew this already. Johnny would choose for himself if the pack was where he belonged. Daniel didn’t feel good about it, though. It was like an itch under his skin that he couldn’t scratch.</p>
<p>“Fine.” Chozen waved a hand.</p>
<p>Daniel pulled a small spiral notebook from his bag then pushed it across the table. Chozen took the pen wedged within the spiral and flipped the notebook open to a fresh page. Then he wrote down an address.</p>
<p>“I don’t know why you even care to help this guy.” Chozen slid the pen back through the spiral. Then he lifted his gaze to Daniel. “From what you said, he made your senior year hell.”</p>
<p>“Only the first couple of months.” Daniel held out his hand and gestured for Chozen to give the notebook back. “And then I kicked his face and won the tournament. We basically didn’t even talk to each other again after that.”</p>
<p>“He still kicked your ass regularly. Why go so far to help him?”</p>
<p>Daniel met Chozen’s gaze then sighed as he slapped his hand down on the table. “I seem to recall kicking your ass. You still come around to help me out.”</p>
<p>“I don’t like you.” Chozen slid the notebook across the table.</p>
<p>“And I never claimed to like Johnny.” Daniel pulled the notebook closer, glancing over the address before he flipped it closed. “But that never stopped me from helping people.” He flicked his gaze up, his mouth curling in a smirk. “Or have you forgotten who introduced you to Noshiko?”</p>
<p>“And yet, you didn’t come to our wedding.” Chozen leaned back, his face as stony as ever.</p>
<p>Daniel’s smirk fell flat. “Because I was stuck in Greece. If I had the money or could have gotten away, I would have been there.”</p>
<p>“I guess you did send us a nice gift. Noshiko loved those swords you made her.”</p>
<p>Daniel grinned. “I thought she might.” He stuffed his notebook back into his bag. “I guess I’ll see you the next time you decide to pop up.”</p>
<p>Chozen’s mouth thinned as he watched Daniel slide out of the booth and stand. “I hope there is a next time.”</p>
<p>Daniel paused and turned back, their gazes meeting as a chill ran up his spine. “There will be.” He smiled, but it was forced, and he knew Chozen knew it. If Silver really was here, it wouldn’t take him long to track down Daniel. His days were numbered. But he couldn’t think about that now when he had something important to do.</p>
<p>Leaving Chozen to finish his meal, Daniel walked toward the exit of the fancy sushi restaurant. Now his biggest concern was trying to find Johnny. He didn’t know Johnny’s emotional signature enough to be able to track it. At the mini mart, their touch was too quick for him to pick up on much besides a sense of happiness. He still couldn’t understand that. He couldn’t pick up on emotions when a person was unconscious. When Johnny was choking him, the emotions might have overwhelmed him, but Daniel couldn’t get a sense of his normal emotional signature underneath all the fear and pain and rage when he tried to recall that moment. Johnny had grabbed his arms, he still had the bruises, but all Daniel could remember from that moment is the fury Johnny felt. It was too much, too chaotic in his mind, to pin down a signature, especially when the whole thing was so new to him.</p>
<p>Daniel raked a hand through his hair as he stepped out into the afternoon sun. He still had plenty of time before the sun set and the full moon rose. His stomach twisted as bile worked its way up his throat. Johnny had no idea what was going to happen to him tonight. He still didn’t even believe that werewolves were real. The first shift was always the most difficult, from what he had learned. If he lost control or panicked, Johnny could hurt someone, and then the Alpha could decide to kill him as punishment.</p>
<p>Daniel rubbed at his forehead, a dull ache developing from the constant cyclical thoughts swimming through his mind. He wanted this night to be over with, and hopefully, with an ending that didn’t result in Johnny’s life being in danger.</p>
<p>Daniel stopped short when he noticed someone standing by his car. His mouth pulled into a frown as he slowly approached the woman. A plastic bag with takeout hung from the crook of her elbow. Her black pencil skirt dress suggested she was some kind of business woman. That fact confused him all the more. What did she want?</p>
<p>“Um,” Daniel said when he stood a foot behind her, “can I help you?”</p>
<p>She straightened and spun around to face him with a smile on her face. A salesperson kind of smile, and Daniel immediately felt guarded. “Is this your car?” She pointed to it with one manicured finger.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Daniel answered slowly, his frown drawing even farther downward.</p>
<p>She glanced back at it. “A ‘47 Ford Super Deluxe convertible.” An eyebrow lifted as she turned her gaze back to him. “Quite the beauty. You don’t often get to see a car like this.”</p>
<p>“I don’t usually like to take it out.” Daniel decided to leave his other car behind at Mr. Miyagi’s, planning to return later to clean the blood. Though maybe, it was more because he missed driving the Ford convertible too much after all these years.</p>
<p>She nodded, thoughtful. “Inherited?”</p>
<p>“A gift.” Daniel shrugged. “For my eighteenth birthday.”</p>
<p>Her eyes opened wide, and her eyebrows rose. “You’ve had it for that long? You’ve kept it in great condition.”</p>
<p>Daniel looked over the car. It had needed a lot of work when they finally made their way back to Reseda to stay. “One of the best gifts I ever got. Of course, I want to keep it in proper condition. Do all the work myself.”</p>
<p>She nodded again, with a slight pursing of her lips. “I’m guessing, then, that you wouldn’t be interested in selling.”</p>
<p>Daniel’s eyes nearly bugged right out of their sockets. It was a classic car, and with how well maintained it was, he knew he could get a pretty good price for it. He could get out of the shithole of an apartment he was currently in. But he shook his head. “I’m sure you could offer me a tempting price, but I’m not looking to sell.”</p>
<p>The disappointment was clear in her eyes. “I got the feeling that would be your response.” Then she held out her hand. “I’m Amanda.”</p>
<p>“Daniel.” He hesitated, but he knew he would appear rude if he didn’t shake it. Taking a breath, he shook her hand. Determination and drive were the strongest notes he picked up from her, with an underlying warmth.</p>
<p>“I probably seem like a crazy person to you, but it’s just that I work at a car dealership.” Amanda held up her hand, crossing her fingers. “Hopefully, opening my own sometime in the near future. So, when I saw your car, I couldn’t help thinking how amazing it would be to have something like it on our lot.”</p>
<p>Daniel couldn’t help but smile a little. “Preferably to sell once you have your own dealership, right?”</p>
<p>“It would give me a leg up on the competition.” Amanda smirked. “There are plenty of rich folks around who pay an arm and a leg for a good classic car.”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I plan on keeping this car for a long time.” Daniel stepped around her and dropped his bag onto the passenger’s seat. It was a nice day out, so he left the top down.</p>
<p>“Since you did all the work on this car,” Amanda leaned against it, “I’m assuming you know your way around a car.”</p>
<p>Daniel turned his head, cocking an eyebrow upward. “Uh, yeah, I guess I do.” He took on a few mechanic jobs over the years while they traveled. He made some decent cash from those jobs.</p>
<p>“And you’re not looking for a job?”</p>
<p>Daniel blinked then turned fully to face her. “First, you want to buy my car.” He folded his arms. “Now, you want to offer me a job?”</p>
<p>“Preferably once I’ve opened my own dealership.” Amanda smiled, and Daniel would bet good money she closed every deal she made. She struck him as the kind of person who knew how to get what she wanted and stopped at nothing to get it. It was a scary realization to have her eyes set on him.</p>
<p>“Uh, well, I mean,” Daniel stumbled over his words. He already had a lot on his plate with the whole Johnny thing and Silver probably already in town. “I do already have a job. Jobs, really. And you don’t really know if I’m that good.”</p>
<p>“It’ll still be a while before I can open for myself. And,” Amanda tilted her head, giving him a thoughtful look, “you might be right on that. I could always send you a car or two in desperate need for fixing up. If you can make those clunkers sellable, I’ll know how good you are.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Daniel stared. Was this really happening? He liked his job at the country club, for the most part. The customers could sometimes really dampen his mood, but his co-workers were pretty great. He wouldn’t mind the excuse to drop his job at the mini mart. But who knew where he would be, or if he would be, in a few weeks or months, or however long it took Amanda to get her dealership up and running? “I guess I could give a couple cars a look for you.”</p>
<p>“Great!” Amanda fished around in her purse until she produced a wallet. “Here’s my card.” She pulled it from a slot within her wallet and handed it over to him. “Give me a call sometime, and we can set things up.”</p>
<p>Daniel glanced over the card in his hand before raising his head again. “Right. Sure.” His head was a bit dizzy from this strange turn of events.</p>
<p>A pleased smile flashed across her face until Amanda’s gaze dipped and a troubled look entered her eyes. “This probably isn’t any of my business, and you can completely ignore me. But are you okay?” She gestured at her neck with one hand.</p>
<p>“Oh, uh.” Daniel held a hand to his throat, hoping to cover the bruising even though she already saw it. “I had a night shift at a mini mart. Sometimes, we get people in there trying to steal stuff. Maybe I should have just let the guy walk off with the beer and cash.” He laughed awkwardly.</p>
<p>Amanda still stared at his neck with a concerned furrow of her brow. “Sounds like a pretty dangerous job.”</p>
<p>Daniel shrugged. “Sometimes. But I can usually take care of myself. A lot of times, it’s just a bunch of kids thinking they can get away with sneaking out snacks and candy. Sometimes, bottles of soda.”</p>
<p>“I guess you got lucky the guy wasn’t carrying a gun or something.”</p>
<p>“If he had a gun, I probably wouldn’t have tried to stop him.” Daniel was glad he wore a shirt with sleeves long enough to hide the bruises on his arms.</p>
<p>The concern didn’t disappear, but Amanda nodded. “Well, Daniel,” the smile returned to her face, “it certainly was a pleasure to meet you.”</p>
<p>Daniel bobbed his head in a quick nod. “It was nice meeting you too.”</p>
<p>“I’ll be waiting for that call.” Amanda waved then turned to walk off through the parking lot.</p>
<p>Daniel watched her, still trying to wrap his mind around the whole meeting. He dropped his gaze to the business card. Amanda, huh? But then he sighed with a shake of his head as he tucked the card into his pocket. He knew better than to think too hard about the future, even when something good landed in his lap. Good things didn’t last for him. Any bit of good luck usually meant he was about to get punched in the face with bad luck. Daniel walked around the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. It was time to hunt down a werewolf. He left the parking lot and drove off down the street.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny smiled as he drove back to his apartment. For such a crappy start to his day, the end of it turned out pretty well. He stayed with the band for another hour, maybe a little more, as they taught him some of their songs. With a few more practice sessions, he should have them all memorized by their next gig. Carmen said she would call him about their next practice, since Luke and Hazel had a late shift tomorrow night.</p>
<p>His mood dropped, only slightly, when he thought about having to inform Shannon that he found a new band. Johnny knew that conversation would quickly turn into her screaming her head off at him. Did she really have to wonder why he didn’t want to be in her band any longer? He hoped she was laying off the drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol, for the sake of her baby. Did she even want to keep the child? He couldn’t even begin to guess who the father actually was. If she asked, he would probably offer whatever help he could.</p>
<p>Johnny packed his car, letting out a tired sigh. He didn’t want to think about Shannon and her problems for the rest of the night. Climbing out of the car, he walked around to the trunk to grab his bass guitar. Then he headed for his apartment.</p>
<p>“You’re getting home pretty late.”</p>
<p>Johnny jerked his head up then smiled when he saw Amanda. “Just finished up practice.” He lifted the case slightly.</p>
<p>“Are congrats in order?” Amanda smirked, like she already knew the answer as they walked together.</p>
<p>“Yeah. And a thanks to you.” Johnny grinned. “It was nice not having the whole practice be a shouting match where barely any practice actually happens.” He sighed, leaning his head back. How did he ever survive being in Shannon’s band for so long? Or at least, not be driven completely mad by all of them. When he stared up, he could see the silver moon looming over the complex. A tingle ran up his spine. “Huh. Full moon tonight.”</p>
<p>“I guess it’s a good thing we’re staying home tonight.” Amanda smiled teasingly. “Don’t want to be caught outside when all the lunatics come out.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed. “I guess you’re right.” He stretched his back, his skin feeling strangely too tight.</p>
<p>“What got you thinking about the full moon?” Amanda lifted her eyebrow as she stopped in front of her door. She dug her keys out of her purse.</p>
<p>Johnny shrugged, standing with her. “Just someone mentioned there was a full moon tonight.” He shook his head. He almost managed to forget all about LaRusso and his utter insanity from that morning after playing with Carmen and her bandmates. Now it all came back to him, and he wished he could wipe the whole thing from his memory again.</p>
<p>Amanda nodded, giving him a curious look as she unlocked her door. “Oh!” She smiled suddenly, grabbing hold of his arm. “I think I found the perfect person to help with opening my dealership today. Of course, there’s still the matter of money and location, and a large number of other things. But I have a good feeling about this guy. With him working with me, I think we’ll become the top dealership in the Valley in no time.”</p>
<p>“That’s great!” Johnny pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m going to miss you when you finally move out of this dump.”</p>
<p>Amanda rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you won’t be staying here long either.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorted. “Yeah, maybe when I’m old and gray and have to be put in a home.”</p>
<p>“I think definitely sooner than that.” Amanda leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. “Don’t celebrate too much tonight.”</p>
<p>“One celebratory beer.” Johnny held up a finger. “I still have work in the morning, and dealing with that woman while suffering a hangover would be a nightmare.”</p>
<p>“Night, Johnny.”</p>
<p>“Night, Amanda.”</p>
<p>Johnny watched as Amanda slipped into her apartment, closing the door behind her. The scent of flowers lingered lightly in the air, but he didn’t really know many flowers by smell. Johnny shook his head and turned to his apartment. He rolled his shoulder, pushed his shoulder blades together, arched his back, and stretched his neck from side to side. What the hell was going on with his back? It wasn’t the normal kind of ache he felt after a long day of doing work. Maybe he just needed to lie down with a hot water bottle on his back.</p>
<p>Shoving his key into the lock, Johnny paused as a frown stretched down on his face. Was that a heartbeat he heard? From within his apartment? He listened closely, his brow furrowing in his concentration. He definitely heard a ba-bump. For a brief second, he ground his teeth, his mind growling, <i>LaRusso!</i> But no. He squinted at his door. It didn’t sound the same as when he listened to LaRusso’s heartbeat that morning. It was slightly fast, like the person was anticipating something, lying in wait. That realization dropped coldly in his gut.</p>
<p>Johnny moved a little farther down from his door then rested his guitar case against the wall. If someone was looking to jump him in his own apartment, he wasn’t about to let his bass get messed up, especially not after he just joined a new band. Once that was safely stowed out of the way, he returned to his door. He took a deep breath, focusing on the idea of entering a fight, then unlocked and opened the door.</p>
<p>Inside, the apartment was dark, but he could easily locate the person based on their heartbeat. They waited just inside the door, most likely waiting on him to enter so they could strike him from behind. <i>Coward</i>, Johnny thought, <i>and foolish</i>. He stepped into the apartment, turning, and immediately he struck out with a fist, catching them by surprise.</p>
<p>“Fuck! My nose!” cried out the person, male from the sound of their voice.</p>
<p>Johnny flipped on the lights, glaring at the man dressed all in black. He had a gun strapped at his waist, but he was too busy holding his hands over his nose, blood gushing between his fingers. Johnny might have felt bad about it, but the guy did break into his apartment and plan on attacking him.</p>
<p>“What,” Johnny growled, something deep, guttural, almost animalistic, “are you doing here?”</p>
<p>The man reached for his gun, fear suddenly rolling off him in a thick cloud as his heart hiccupped. Johnny grabbed the man’s wrist, twisting it hard so the gun wasn’t pointing at him. The man screamed out as a loud snap filled the apartment. Johnny jerked back, yanking his hand away like it was burned as the gun clunked on the carpet. Did he just - He didn’t mean to twist that hard! The man cradled his arm to his chest, breathing harshly through the pain.</p>
<p>Fuck! Johnny shook his head, pressing a hand to his forehead as an ache grew there. His jaw hurt, a strange sensation filling his mouth. His back hit the wall. His vision shifted in and out of focus. What the hell was happening?</p>
<p>Something jabbed him in the side. That hurt, but the current of electricity surging through his body hurt a million times worse. Johnny let a strangled shout before he hit the ground, his body twitching from the after effects. He squinted, struggling to get his vision to focus as he lifted his gaze to the person standing over him.</p>
<p>“I told you not to underestimate him.” A cruel smirk curved across the man’s face. That bushy mustache really didn’t work for him. It was like a cat hacked up a hairball on his upper lip. “Even a new wolf is dangerous.”</p>
<p>Wolf? Were these freaks in on LaRusso’s lunacy? This prank was going a little too far. Johnny growled, his fingers digging into the carpet as he willed his body to move, to get the hell up despite the tingling pain coursing through him.</p>
<p>“Get back to the team.” The man nodded his head toward the door. “I can take care of the pup from here.”</p>
<p>The other man nodded, cringing at the movement as he slunk out of the apartment.</p>
<p>Mr. Mustache lowered into a crouch. “Don’t you know,” the smirk returned to his face, his beady eyes just as cruel, “that the lone wolf doesn’t survive?” He held up a baton just before his face. It sparked menacingly.</p>
<p>“What the fuck do you want?” The words came out strange, growly. What was wrong with his mouth?</p>
<p>The man tilted his head, staring like he was observing a particularly interesting stain on the carpet. “Eliminating a threat before it becomes a serious problem.” He brought the baton down on Johnny’s back, the electricity flowing through him again.</p>
<p>Johnny shouted, maybe more like roared, as he tried to curl away from it. Mr. Mustache laughed. Johnny snarled at the man, seeing red. He pushed himself to his feet, but the man responded quicker, knocking his feet out from under him. With a grunt, Johnny landed on his back, his head banging against the floor.</p>
<p>“I’m honestly surprised. I expected you to shift already.” Mr. Mustache considered his baton again. “Maybe I need to up the voltage.”</p>
<p><i>Fuck this shit!</i> But before Johnny could force his body to move, he heard a familiar sound. His eyes widened. No way. No fucking way! How the hell was he here?</p>
<p>The baton hovered inches over the middle of his chest when the footsteps thundered into the apartment. Johnny stared, eyes widening, at LaRusso over the man’s shoulder. Mr. Mustache turned his head. LaRusso’s fist slammed into his face. The baton hit the floor as Mr. Mustache fell back, an arm shooting out to brace himself. LaRusso’s chest heaved, and he glared furiously at the man. Johnny blinked. Did LaRusso really just come to his rescue?</p>
<p>“Well,” Mr. Mustache stood, his movements slow and cautious, and blood trickled from his nose, “you look too scrawny to be an Alpha.” His head tilted as his eyes focused on something. “And that bruise would have healed by now if you were.”</p>
<p>“You can’t touch him,” LaRusso said, his voice cold and collected even while his heart was racing. His hands clenched into fists, and every muscle of his body was taut and ready for a fight. “He hasn’t broken any rules.”</p>
<p>Mr. Mustache stepped up close to LaRusso. “He’s a wolf without a pack. I’m guessing you know how dangerous that is. Especially on his first full moon.”</p>
<p>“He’s not going to hurt anyone.” LaRusso shifted enough to place himself right between Johnny and Mr. Mustache. “So, you can take your men and get the fuck out of here.”</p>
<p>“He just broke the nose and arm of one of my men.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that tends to happen when you break in and plan to ambush someone in their own apartment. And as you can see, he hasn’t shifted yet.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled onto his side, biting back to a groan at the soreness of his body. He grabbed hold of the back of the couch to support himself as he climbed to his feet. When Johnny looked, Mr. Mustache was sneering, a dark glower in his eyes.</p>
<p>“If you don’t want to end up like him, I suggest-”</p>
<p>Johnny grabbed the back of LaRusso’s shirt and threw him backward, ignoring his shout of protest then his grunt when he hit the floor. The whistling sounded like a scream in his head. He grabbed the arrow right before it could spear him through the head. Mr. Mustache’s mouth curled upward as he closed his eyes. What the-</p>
<p>The tip of the arrow exploded, a blinding light searing his eyeballs. Johnny dropped the arrow, shouting in agony as he stumbled blindly. He pressed his hands against his eyes. When he heard the sounds of punches landing, with grunts accompanying them, he dropped his hands and blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. Everything was blurry. A body hit the wall, and the gasping sound sent panic through him. Even with his vision impaired, he could guess what happened.</p>
<p>“This was supposed to be a simple job,” Mr. Mustache said. “Take down the pup before he’s a threat. Simple. Done the same shit enough times in the past. But then a piece of shit nothing like you thinks he can come in here and mess with Hunter business.”</p>
<p>Johnny charged at the sound of the man’s voice and slammed into him. Mr. Mustache hit the ground outside the apartment door. LaRusso gasped for air as he slid down the wall, dropping onto his butt and coughing. Johnny huffed in snarling breaths. His vision had blinked clear almost instantly, and he glared at Mr. Mustache and his associate with the crossbow.</p>
<p>“Shoot the animal!” Mr. Mustache shouted.</p>
<p>His associate shot panicked, wide hazel eyes at his boss. Then he lifted his head, and when their gazes locked, Johnny released a loud roar that shook his apartment’s window. The crossbow clattered on the ground, and the associate raced off, leaving a trail that stunk of fear.</p>
<p>“Fucking piss baby!” Mr. Mustache snatched up the crossbow.</p>
<p>“I suggest you put that down.”</p>
<p>Johnny snapped his gaze toward the familiar voice. Standing outside her apartment, Amanda’s eyes glowed silver, almost daring the man still on the ground to give her an excuse to make him suffer. Mr. Mustache yelled, dropping the crossbow. He shook his hand, blistered red.</p>
<p>“Not worth the damn money,” he grumbled, scrambling to his feet. He gave Amanda a wide berth as he stormed off.</p>
<p>“What - Ah!” Johnny dropped to his hands and knees. Everything hurt.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” two voices called out.</p>
<p>Arms wrapped around him, pulling him back into his apartment. They held on tight, even as Johnny twisted and squirmed to break free from them.</p>
<p>“Close the door!” LaRusso shouted, soon followed by the sound of the door closing. “Johnny, it’s going to be okay.” LaRusso’s voice was calm, soothing, but Johnny growled, every part of his body aching. “Yeah, I know it hurts a lot. But I need you to just breathe through the pain.”</p>
<p>Johnny howled. It felt like every bone in his body was breaking, every muscle tearing asunder.</p>
<p>“Come on, Johnny,” LaRusso said encouragingly, in that same calming voice, though his heart was beating fast. “Think of it like karate. Focus and discipline. You’re great at that stuff. Focus on your breathing and just let the shift happen. Don’t fight it.”</p>
<p>A warmth wrapped around him, and Johnny didn’t understand how he knew it but he felt it surging from LaRusso to him. He closed his eyes, fighting against every instinct in him and focused on the in and out of his breathing. Some part of him recognized that he was matching LaRusso deep breathing, listening as his heart slowed to something steady and even. It was more pain than he ever experienced, and it felt like hours before the burning white agony ebbed away.</p>
<p>“Shh, you’re okay now,” LaRusso whispered gently, his fingers tangling through Johnny’s hair.</p>
<p>Wait. That wasn’t right. LaRusso’s hand was definitely running down along his back. Why would there be hair there?</p>
<p>“Well, this is certainly a surprise, Daniel.”</p>
<p>Johnny opened his eyes and looked over to find Amanda crouching down in front of them. It hit him then that LaRusso was still cradling him. Johnny struggled out of his hold, and LaRusso pulled his arms away. Once he was on his feet, Johnny had the horrible realization of something being terribly wrong.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” LaRusso held his hands up cautiously, “try not to freak out.”</p>
<p>Too fucking late! Johnny wanted to shout it in LaRusso’s face, but all that came out were strange snarls and growls. What the hell happened to him?</p>
<p>“You didn’t tell him?” Amanda shot a glare at LaRusso.</p>
<p>“I told him! He just didn’t believe me.” LaRusso snorted. “And he’s so fucking stubborn, he actually managed to hold off the shift for this long.”</p>
<p>Oh. Oh no. No, no, no! Johnny turned and shot off through his apartment, scrambling for the bathroom on four legs. He hopped onto the closed toilet lid, after a few attempts, then braced himself on the sink. What stared back at him in the mirror froze the blood in his veins. The white face of a wolf with eyes that glowed blue. What the fuck! Werewolves weren’t real. They couldn’t be! But here he was, trapped in a wolf’s body.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel watched as Johnny disappeared down a hall in the apartment. Then he leaned his head back against the wall, sighing as he closed his eyes. Exhaustion hit him, but the fear and panic and pain from Johnny still coursed through him. His heart was beating too quickly in his chest again. When he let his guard down just a little, reaching out for Johnny, the disbelief and horror washed over him.</p>
<p>“You know,” Amanda said, and Daniel opened his eyes to look at her, “when we met, I knew we’d make a good pair.” She smirked when Daniel frowned. “Not that kind of partner. I mean about business.” She tilted her head, staring at him like he was some strange new oddity. It wasn’t an unfamiliar look to him. “But you really are something else, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>“Probably more trouble than I’m worth.” Daniel turned his head as Johnny returned. His posture was slumped, resigned to the reality he could no longer deny. Daniel wished there was some magic cure he could give Johnny and let him return to a normal life. Normal was no longer an option for either of them. But Daniel had to admit it. Johnny made a handsome werewolf with his white fur and the way his eyes glowed blue. “You felt it earlier, didn’t you?” He stared cautiously at Johnny, only somewhat wary of an attack.</p>
<p>“Felt what?” Amanda asked, and Johnny tilted his head, like he wanted to ask the same.</p>
<p>“Some unimaginable and illogical pain. If you felt that, it means the Alpha that bit you was killed.” Daniel frowned, lowering his gaze. He knew it would happen after speaking with Chozen, but he had no way to prepare Johnny for what he would experience when it happened.</p>
<p>“Oh.” Amanda grimaced in understanding, but Johnny still had that confused look in his eyes. “I’m surprised he’s taking this so well. I imagined more anger and him attempting to attack us. This being his first full moon, after all.” She laughed when Daniel cocked an eyebrow at her. “I’ve lived next door for a long time now. I think I would know if my neighbor was a werewolf before now.”</p>
<p>Daniel’s mouth twitched in a slight smile. “I guess you have a point there.” Then he turned to Johnny, observing him for a few minutes. “The first shift is hard and painful, but the wolf isn’t always bloodthirsty afterward. When they’re young, it’s more likely for them to lash out. And usually, the bite is offered to people when they’re young. I think the karate training may have helped. Johnny’s learned to focus his mind, even if he can be a bit hotheaded.”</p>
<p>Johnny made a noise, something maybe like a snort or a huff of a laugh.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay.” Daniel rolled his eyes. “I’m pretty hotheaded myself.” His mouth curled up in a teasing smirk. “Some steaks might be a good idea though. The shift can make the wolf pretty hungry.” He pushed himself up to his feet. “I don’t suppose you have any in your fridge?”</p>
<p>Johnny glared darkly at him.</p>
<p>“I guess that’s a no.” Daniel frowned then rubbed at his forehead. “I can go grab some. There’s probably someplace open right now.”</p>
<p>“Let me handle it.” Amanda placed a hand on his shoulder. “You look like you’re about to fall over.”</p>
<p>Daniel started to argue but caught himself at the stern stare she gave him. His legs did feel a bit shaky. He leaned back against the wall. “Sorry you kind of outed yourself to the Hunters there.” Guilt pressed down on him.</p>
<p>Amanda shrugged. “I don’t like them knowing about me. But I wasn’t going to sit around and let that Hunter harm Johnny.” Her lips cut into a cruel grin, and her eyes flashed silver. “He’s lucky to have left here with all his organs intact.” Then she gave him a real smile and patted his shoulder. “I’ll be back in a few with those steaks.”</p>
<p>Daniel waited for the door to close behind her before he let out his breath. “You,” he turned his gaze to Johnny, “know one terrifying lady. And I suggest you never piss her off.” He sighed, walking over to the couch. He stumbled a few times before collapsing onto the couch. “And I bet you have a million questions you want to ask.”</p>
<p>Johnny jumped onto the couch with him, his blue eyes glaring into Daniel.</p>
<p>“I can explain some stuff now, but I think maybe I should wait and let you ask whatever questions you have in the morning. And, yes, I will be staying here until then.” Daniel shot him a look, his mouth thinning. “I know you probably don’t like that, but you won’t be able to shift back until sun up.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed, and Daniel didn’t need to sense his emotions to read the annoyance from him.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry this happened to you.” Daniel lowered his gaze, picking absently at the skin around his thumbnail. “You don’t deserve having this thrust upon you without your consent. You see, Alphas, by pack law, aren’t allowed to bite people without offering it to the person and that person consenting to it. That’s why the Alpha that bit you had to be killed. It - She went rogue.” He closed his eyes, shaking his head. “I should have warned you about that beforehand. But you weren’t exactly listening, or believing, anything I was saying.”</p>
<p>Johnny grunted then lay down, dropping his head onto his paws. Daniel bit his cheek. It was almost too tempting to reach over and scratch his head. He doubted Johnny would appreciate that, though.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how the Hunters found out about you.” Daniel’s brow creased, mulling it over. “They shouldn’t have known anything about you. And they shouldn’t have come after you anyway. Just like werewolf packs have rules to follow, the Hunters do too. You’re a new wolf, and you haven’t attacked anyone. By their rules, the Hunters should have left you alone.” He worried his lower lip between his teeth. The Hunters’ presence concerned him.</p>
<p>Johnny huffed after several minutes of silence passed.</p>
<p>“I weirdly wish you could talk,” Daniel mumbled. “Arguing with you would be preferable to this silence.” He rubbed tiredly at his forehead, but he was saved from having to think of how to fill the silence when there was a knock on the door. Hopping up from the couch, he hurried over to open the door.</p>
<p>“They only had a couple of steaks,” Amanda announced as she entered the apartment. “I hope that’s okay.”</p>
<p>“That should work for now.” Daniel dug into his pocket for his wallet. “I can pay you back.”</p>
<p>“That’s not necessary.” Amanda dropped the plastic bag on the couch. “And if anyone should be paying me back, it’s that guy.” She pointed a thumb at Johnny, whose head perked up and was now sniffing at the bag. When she turned back to Daniel, her gaze fixed on his throat again. “I was thinking the whole time I was gone. That story you told me about that bruise was a lie.”</p>
<p>Daniel swallowed, flicking his gaze toward Johnny with his head practically in the bag. The bruising was probably worse now after his encounter with the Hunter. His throat still felt sore.</p>
<p>“He wasn’t in control,” Daniel finally said. “He’d just been bitten and woke up suddenly. It was like waking up from a nightmare and not being aware of your surroundings. I know he didn’t actually mean to choke me.” Still, the experience was terrifying, but he thankfully had a sedative on hand that could knock out a werewolf. “And I think we better break out those steaks before Johnny decides to eat them, packaging and all.”</p>
<p>Daniel grabbed the bag, lifting it off the couch. Johnny growled. Daniel walked to the kitchen and poked around in the cabinets until he found a large plate. After opening one of the packages, he put the steak on the plate and placed that on the floor. Johnny was off the couch in a second then tearing into the steak.</p>
<p>“So, how long have you been helping werewolves?” Amanda walked over to join them as Daniel washed his hands.</p>
<p>Daniel shrugged. “You pick things up when you’ve traveled as much as I have. I’ve learned things from a few different packs over the years.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded, her gaze on Johnny, who had devoured the first steak in seconds, licking his chops. “I guess it’s safe for me to leave him your hands then.”</p>
<p>Daniel paused as he dried his hands off on a dish rag. “You’re not,” his mouth drew downward, “the pack’s emissary, are you?”</p>
<p>Amanda shook her head with an upward twist of her mouth. “No. But I’ll be happy to lend my guidance to Johnny if he needs it.”</p>
<p>Daniel smiled. “I’m sure Johnny will appreciate it more from you than from me.” It hurt a little to admit that out loud. But why would that surprise him? Johnny hated him. He frowned when he noticed a look in Amanda’s eyes, something knowing but secretive.</p>
<p>“I’ll leave you two alone then. I had a long day at the dealership, and I’m looking forward to a good night’s sleep.” Amanda gave the apartment a quick glance. “I could stop by tomorrow and set up some wards. It would keep the Hunters out.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded. “I’m going to say Johnny would probably appreciate that.” He walked Amanda to the door, and they exchanged goodnights. After closing the door, he turned back to Johnny. “Do you want that second steak now?”</p>
<p>Johnny opened his mouth, showing off sharp teeth as he yawned widely.</p>
<p>“Tired, huh?” Daniel struggled to hold back his own yawn, but he ended up hiding it behind the back of his hand. “Right. Sleeping sounds good.” He walked back to the kitchen, taking the other steak from the bag and placing it in the refrigerator. “I guess I’ll take the couch.” He turned his gaze to it and wrinkled his nose. Couches, from his experience, were never fun to sleep on.</p>
<p>Daniel found the light switch and flipped off the lights. Then he walked over to the couch, resigning himself to a night of terrible sleep. Johnny darted around him then bumped into him, pushing him away from the couch. Daniel stumbled as Johnny kept nudging him toward the hall.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay!” Daniel held up his hands in surrender. “I guess this means you want me to take the bed.”</p>
<p>Johnny gave him another headbutt to against his legs, and Daniel took that to be a yes. He smiled in amusement.</p>
<p>“Can I use the bathroom first?”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed as he sat down in the middle of the hall. Daniel resisted that tempting urge to give his head a scratch. He entered the bathroom and made quick work of taking care of his business. Then he walked to the bedroom with Johnny following after him. He pulled off his shoes, leaving them near the door before he tugged off his pants, folding them up on top of his shoes. Reaching under his shirt, he undid the holster holding the hidden daggers.</p>
<p>“What?” he asked when he noticed the obvious confusion from Johnny as he placed the holster with his pants and shoes. “Some things you can’t fight with karate alone.”</p>
<p>In only his boxers and shirt, Daniel climbed into the bed, drawing the covers up over him. The mattress dipped as Johnny jumped up on the other side of the bed and flopped down on top of the covers.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry all of this happened to you,” Daniel said, staring up at the ceiling. “I wish I could have stopped that Alpha from biting you.” He lay silently for a few minutes. “Oh, and if you feel hungry in the middle of the night, try not to take a nibble out of me. Neither Amanda nor I can protect you from the Hunters if you kill me.” Hearing the huff from Johnny, his mouth curled into a smile. “Night, Johnny.”</p>
<p>Then Daniel rolled onto his side, his back facing Johnny, and tried to fall asleep. A decade ago, the idea of sleeping next to a newly turned werewolf would have terrified him. That first time, he hadn’t slept the whole night until the wee hours of the morning when the sun first started to peek over the horizon. He might have only lived among werewolves for a while here and there, but he learned enough when he did to know he was safe with Johnny. So far, Johnny showed no signs of wanting to attack anyone or a desire for blood, other than a raw steak. Daniel smiled to himself. He couldn’t help thinking Johnny would make a good werewolf.</p>
<p>Sleep came to him eventually, the constant buzzing thoughts in his head finally giving way to peaceful rest. Or as peaceful as it ever got for him. He couldn’t recall the last time he dreamed, or even what happened in the dream. It was nightmares he remembered. When it wasn’t nightmares, it was slipping into that abyss of darkness that held him captive.</p>
<p>Daniel woke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. A hand held onto his shoulder. The sight of a cruel smile stretching impossibly wide popped into his mind. He scrambled away, stumbling off the bed, until his back slammed into a wall. For a moment, he saw the familiar locker room at the All Valley Sports Arena and a tall man leering at him as he approached. Then he blinked, and he was back in a bedroom that wasn’t his own. Sliding down the wall, he dragged his fingers through his hair as he struggled to breathe.</p>
<p>“Damn it, LaRusso.”</p>
<p>Daniel barely registered who spoke or the rustling of movement. It all sounded so distant. Terry Silver was coming. He reached out in his sleep, searching without conscious thought. He knew Silver’s signature. It was too close. His breath grew shorter, ragged.</p>
<p>Hands grabbed his wrists, yanking his hands away from his head. Daniel struggled against the person, attempting to swing his fists at whomever held onto him.</p>
<p>“LaRusso!” The shout was more like a roar.</p>
<p>Daniel started, blinking until his vision cleared. He lifted his head. “Johnny?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What the hell is with you and nightmares?” Johnny grumbled once he had LaRusso’s attention.</p>
<p>Johnny woke up wanting to believe all that craziness last night was a dream, but then he looked over to find LaRusso still sleeping in his bed. And he, himself, didn’t have a stitch of clothing on him. He certainly wasn’t embarrassed about his body, and the idea of watching LaRusso freak out about nudity amused him. Until he heard the jump in LaRusso’s heartbeat. His hands were twitching, but like last time, LaRusso didn’t seem like he would be waking up on his own. He barely gave LaRusso a shake on the shoulder before he launched out of bed.</p>
<p>LaRusso took a few shaky breaths, his heart slowing gradually. Then he shook his head. “It’s nothing.” He tugged on his arms, still trying to break Johnny’s grip on him.</p>
<p>“And that’s why you stink of fear right now,” Johnny growled. He didn’t even know how he knew that, how he could pick out what scent meant what, but this close, the scent was so strong it practically screamed inside his head.</p>
<p>“Let go of me,” LaRusso demanded in a steady voice as he glared.</p>
<p>Johnny lowered his gaze to his hands wrapped tightly around LaRusso’s wrists. He loosened his hold just slightly but didn’t release him. Then he leaned in closer, putting his face right in front of LaRusso. “Tell me what the hell is going on. Why do you know so much about this werewolf crap?”</p>
<p>“Let go of me first. I don’t need to keep feeling your anger directed at me.”</p>
<p>Johnny growled, his lip drawing back slightly. But he released LaRusso’s wrists then placed his hands on the wall, trapping LaRusso where he sat. It was probably a good thing he scrambled to pull on some boxers before he rushed over to LaRusso. He took a deep breath then let it out slowly.</p>
<p>“Maybe I wouldn’t get so angry if you would just answer my questions.” Johnny shifted, the crouching making his legs hurt the longer he stayed in that position. “I thought you promised to explain everything to me once I wasn’t a wolf anymore.”</p>
<p>LaRusso swallowed. “I meant about being a werewolf.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t really specify that it was just about that.” Johnny’s mouth curved upward, his smirk earning him a glare from LaRusso.</p>
<p>“I have to get to work in a couple of hours. And I still have to get back home and change, and shower, and maybe grab something to eat.” LaRusso sighed, and with how close they were, Johnny could feel his breath washing over his face. “Can we stick to the important stuff?”</p>
<p>“Oh no.” Johnny rolled his eyes. “Wouldn’t want to be late to work at the mini mart.”</p>
<p>LaRusso scowled. Then he grabbed hold of Johnny, and in one quick movement, he flipped Johnny over onto his back. Johnny grunted as the sudden impact winded him. LaRusso popped up onto his feet and walked over to where he left his things by the door. Remaining as he was, Johnny tilted his head back, watching LaRusso upside down.</p>
<p>“The mini mart is usually the night shift.” LaRusso tugged on his pants. “For the morning and afternoon, I work at the country club.”</p>
<p>“Huh.” Johnny rolled over then pushed himself onto his feet. “You should consider taking up that position Amanda wants to give you.”</p>
<p>LaRusso opened his mouth, seemed to think better of whatever he wanted to say, and snapped his mouth shut again. As he put his shoes on, Johnny moved to stand in the doorway, blocking the exit. When he looked up, LaRusso frowned, grabbing the holster for a pair of daggers off the floor. And wasn’t that a shock to learn about last night? Johnny never imagined LaRusso to be the type to run around with daggers hidden on him. But if he was dealing with werewolves, and who knew what else, the added protection might be wise. Johnny watched curiously as LaRusso strapped on the holster then tugged his shirt down to hide it.</p>
<p>“I’m only going to answer questions about werewolves.” LaRusso stood up and folded his arms. “The first shift is always the hardest, but now that you’re past it, you should be able to learn how to control it. The urge to shift will always be strongest during a full moon, and you’ll be more powerful during that time too, but you can stop yourself from shifting during that time if you learn enough control. It’s not the easiest to learn, and many don’t even bother trying to fight the shift during a full moon. Anger is the strongest trigger. But anger typically means losing control. Any emotion can be a trigger if it’s strong enough though. The best way to fight the shift is to find something that can anchor your emotions.”</p>
<p>Johnny rubbed at his forehead. Too much information all at once was giving him a headache. “Why do you even know all of this?”</p>
<p>“Because I’ve lived with werewolf packs before.”</p>
<p>“But why?” Johnny asked insistently. “Why would you live with them? How would you even know about them? Or find them? Why is any of this shit real? And I don’t even understand what the hell Amanda is!”</p>
<p>LaRusso sighed. “That’s too long a story to explain everything, and I don’t really want to.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Johnny landed a hard glare on him, refusing to budge from his spot in the doorway until he learned what he wanted to know. “Something obviously happened after high school. Something bad enough to leave you with nightmares.”</p>
<p>“Why do you even care?” LaRusso’s mouth drew into a thin frown.</p>
<p>Johnny ground his teeth. Maybe he shouldn’t care, but his mind was stuck on the idea of figuring out just what the hell was going on with LaRusso. Like a dog with a bone. And now, he kind of hated that saying. “Did you tell your boyfriend about it?”</p>
<p>LaRusso squinted his eyes as his brow knitted in the middle. “My what?” He shook his head with a scoff. “Johnny, I haven’t lived anywhere long enough to meet anyone and develop any kind of relationship with them outside of working the same job. That’s not to say I’ve never had sex,” he added with a hard glare. “But I haven’t really had a steady relationship in years.”</p>
<p>Johnny lifted an eyebrow. He didn’t catch a hiccup in LaRusso’s heart to indicate a lie, but he could smell the agitation coming off him. “Right. And that guy you were all chummy with outside the club was just some random guy you met.”</p>
<p>“The guy from-” LaRusso shook his head. “Are you talking about Chozen?” He reached up and rubbed at his eyes. “Oh my god! I can’t believe you thought I would date Chozen! The guy tried to kill me. And I’m the one who introduced him to his wife.”</p>
<p>Johnny jerked forward a step. “What do you mean he tried to kill you?” he shouted the words louder than he meant to, and LaRusso flinched back. When he saw them that night, LaRusso wasn’t acting like the guy was someone who once tried to kill him. Johnny frowned, jaw jutting out. LaRusso could smile easily with this Chozen guy, but he was always trying to pick fights with Johnny.</p>
<p>LaRusso sighed, hanging his head. “This conversation really got off track. Look. It was a long time ago, and I beat his ass in the fight. Now we,” he shrugged, “tolerate each other.”</p>
<p>Johnny didn’t know why, but he really hated this Chozen guy. If he ever saw him, he thought he would probably punch him in the face. “That’s barely an answer.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s all you’re getting right now.” LaRusso glared stubbornly.</p>
<p>Johnny shifted his weight as he tilted his head. “You still didn’t answer whether he knows about this nightmare shit or not.”</p>
<p>LaRusso remained silent for a long time, his jaw working like he was debating the best way to word things without giving too much away. “Yes,” he said evenly, “he knows. Because we went back to Okinawa after the first time it happened.” His eyes darted about, and his hands fidgeted. “Do you know,” his gaze returned to Johnny, “what a sensory deprivation tank is?”</p>
<p>Johnny’s brow furrowed, and he gave a slight shake of his head.</p>
<p>LaRusso sighed. “Basically, it’s this tank filled with water. When you climb in and they close the lid, there’s no light. There’s no sound. You’re basically deprived of all your senses.”</p>
<p>“And people do that willingly?” Johnny’s eyebrow lifted. He couldn’t wrap his brain around why anyone would do that to themselves. At the same time, he was currently suffering from sensory overload with how sharp his senses of hearing and smell were now. He really needed to do a deep clean of his apartment if he was going to be able to smell all the stale beer staining the carpet and couch. From down the hall.</p>
<p>“I guess? I don’t know.” LaRusso huffed, shaking his head. “I’ve never done it, but that’s the closest example I can give you for what it feels like. I have nightmares. But then I have <i>those</i> nightmares. It’s like being trapped in a dark abyss where I can’t even hear my own voice when I scream. Except it’s my mind. And I can’t wake up. The first time I experienced it, Mr. Miyagi couldn’t wake me up for almost a week. Most of the time it’s not that bad. Just a struggle to wake up one morning.” He chewed on his lip. “But the last time it got bad, I was out for three days. Chozen was there that time.”</p>
<p>Johnny swallowed, his throat feeling too tight. Coldness crept through his body as he listened to LaRusso. “The fuck, LaRusso. That shit’s not normal.”</p>
<p>“You’ll find there’s a lot of ‘not normal’ in this world.” LaRusso raked a shaky hand through his hair. “And I really should get going.”</p>
<p>“I still have questions.”</p>
<p>“Amanda should be able to answer them. It’s,” LaRusso hunched his shoulders, “kind of her job to guide werewolves.”</p>
<p>“I have questions for you.” Johnny held LaRusso’s gaze. He didn’t know what happened, but he heard the sudden jump in LaRusso’s heart. Then he snapped his head around to stare down the hall. “Someone’s at the door.”</p>
<p>A few seconds later, that someone knocked on the door.</p>
<p>Johnny hesitated, narrowing his eyes, before he turned to walk down the hall. LaRusso trailed after him, keeping a step behind. Johnny yanked the door open a crack, ready to complain at whoever dared to knock so early. The anger stuck in his throat when he saw Amanda on the other side of the door. Not only was it Amanda, but she held his guitar case in her hands. Shit. He forgot all about it during the chaos of last night. Plus, he wasn’t in the position to grab it after he turned into a wolf.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Amanda.” Johnny smiled, relieved to see the case had no obvious signs of damage. He opened the door wider and accepted the case when she offered it to him.</p>
<p>“Looks like you didn’t kill each other last night.” Amanda smiled, slipping past Johnny and into his apartment.</p>
<p>“It was very touch and go there for a while,” LaRusso said, almost teasingly, and Johnny glared as he pushed the door shut. “Somehow, we managed to survive the night.”</p>
<p>Moving over to the couch, Johnny leaned his guitar case against the arm of the couch, ignoring the glances Amanda seemed to keep throwing between him and LaRusso. He also firmly ignored that weird urge to growl deep in the back of his throat, for apparently no obvious reason. Was that a werewolf thing? He scratched a hand through his hair. Was he ever going to get used to all these weird changes?</p>
<p>“I don’t have a lot of time before work,” Amanda said, “but I can get the wards up now.”</p>
<p>“Wards?” Johnny repeated, vaguely remembering mention of that last night. He jerked his gaze over to Amanda, his brow creasing just slightly.</p>
<p>“The wards will make your apartment act, like, well, as if everyone is a vampire.”</p>
<p>As soon as the word left Amanda’s mouth, Johnny’s eyes flicked to LaRusso. That sour note he had come to associate with fear and anxiety hung heavy in the air. LaRusso stood stiffly, with his back pressed against the wall. His eyes were downcast, but Johnny wouldn’t be surprised if they were wide with fear. He frowned, wanting to get the answers out of LaRusso.</p>
<p>“Basically,” Amanda continued, oblivious to LaRusso’s sudden panic, “no one will be able to enter your apartment unless you’ve given them permission, which means no more unexpected visitors breaking in.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded. “Yeah, okay. Sounds good.” He managed to tear his gaze away from LaRusso as another thought hit him. “What if I decided I didn’t want someone to be able to come into my apartment after giving them an invite? Is there a way to uninvite them?”</p>
<p>Amanda frowned. “I hope you won’t make a habit of that. But yes, they can be uninvited. It just means I would have to dissolve the current wards and replace it with new ones. Not too difficult, but it would get annoying if I have to do it often.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed, holding up his hands. “I’ll try not to make it a habit.” When he glanced over, he saw the way LaRusso was frowning at him. “Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist, LaRusso. You saved my butt last night. I’m thinking it would be stupid of me to magically block you out of my apartment.”</p>
<p>LaRusso blinked then quickly looked away. Johnny squinted. Were the tips of his ears red?</p>
<p>Amanda watched them. “Okay. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get it set up.”</p>
<p>Johnny let her do her thing as he walked around the couch. He placed himself in front of LaRusso, who finally dragged his gaze back to him. Folding his arms, Johnny opened his mouth.</p>
<p>“Before I go,” LaRusso jumped in, cutting Johnny off before he even got a word out, “I should probably give you the address where the Alpha lives. Do you have some paper?”</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah.” Johnny frowned but walked over to the kitchen. LaRusso followed after him. Johnny found a pad of paper and a pen in one of the drawers then dropped them both onto the counter.</p>
<p>“Chozen was the one that found the rogue Alpha that bit you. He took her to the pack’s Alpha for judgment.” LaRusso picked up the pen. “I haven’t met the Alpha for this area, so I can’t really tell you what he’s like.” He leaned on the counter as he jotted down an address on the pad. “But Chozen said he’ll leave you alone as long as you don’t break any of the rules. Mainly, don’t attack someone as a wolf, and you’ll be good.”</p>
<p>“Then why would I need to know where this old dude lives?” Johnny glowered at the pad of paper like the address offended him.</p>
<p>“The Alpha isn’t necessarily some old dude.” LaRusso stood up straight as he rolled his eyes. “And, well,” he bit the corner of his mouth, “I’m telling you in case you decide you <i>want</i> to be in his pack.” He held up his hand when Johnny opened his mouth to argue. “Wolves are pack animals. You’re going to be naturally drawn to wanting to be with a pack. A pack offers safety and protection. Lone werewolves tend to not live very long.” His mouth curved down, and Johnny could not only see the worry in his eyes but smell the concern wafting off him.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I think that dick with the mustache mentioned that before.” Johnny scowled at the memory. He would have liked to rip that mustache right off his face. “And I don’t need to join some pack with a bunch of strangers. I have a pack.” The smirk cut across his face when LaRusso lifted his eyebrow. “Bobby, Tommy, Jimmy. Heck, even Dutch.” Though he hadn’t really heard from Dutch in a while. Johnny wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in jail at this point. “They’re my brothers.”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded. Then he smiled, and the sight of it had a lump jumping into Johnny’s throat. What the heck? LaRusso never gave him genuine smiles like that. “That’s good. It’ll really help keep the wolf side of you calm if you hang out with them on a regular basis.”</p>
<p>Johnny grimaced a bit at that. He couldn’t actually recall the last time he met up to hang out with his other ex-Cobras. They all had their own lives, and with busy schedules, it wasn’t always easy to arrange time when they could go out drinking together.</p>
<p>“The wards are all set,” Amanda announced. “And I should be heading off to work now.”</p>
<p>“I’ll walk with you.” LaRusso hurried to the door, jumping at the first opportunity to make his escape. “I need to shower before work.” He smiled as he opened the door for Amanda. “See you, Johnny.” He waved.</p>
<p>“Bye, Johnny,” Amanda said.</p>
<p>Johnny bobbed his head, not trusting his voice. The door closed with a click, and the growl rumbled up from his chest. Something was different. He couldn’t place what. His jaw ached, like bone had cracked and shifted.</p>
<p>Racing down the hall, he turned into the bathroom. Even with the lights off, he noticed what was wrong right away. Reflected in the mirror, his eyes glowed a brilliant blue. Leaning in closer, he drew back his lips to reveal sharpened teeth. Reaching up a hand, he tentatively ran a finger over his teeth, each sharp point dragging over the pad of his finger. Then he huffed out a breath as he gripped the side of the sink, hanging his head, as he tried to focus on his breathing. Focus on something, <i>anything</i>, that would drive away the weird eyes and teeth. He wouldn’t be able to do his job if he had to worry about this shit every time the client pissed him off. What was it LaRusso said? He needed an anchor for his emotions? Johnny shook his head. What the hell was his anchor then?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The two of you are either the most stubborn men I’ve ever met,” Amanda said as she led the way from Johnny’s apartment. “Or you’re the dumbest.” She bobbed her head in thought. “Yeah, I’m going with the dumbest.”</p>
<p>“Excuse me?” Daniel frowned, folding his arms and resolutely <i>not</i> looking back at Johnny’s apartment. He had too many thoughts swirling around in his head, and it was far too early to deal with any of them. Especially when most of them seemed to revolve around the thought that Johnny was far from safe right now.</p>
<p>Amanda stopped at the edge of the complex’s courtyard then turned around to face him. “Let’s not play games here, Daniel.” She mirrored him by folding her arms. Her expression turned hard, stern, her eyes saying she was not about to buy any bullshit he might try to sell her. It may have slightly terrified him, because he knew the kind of things someone like her could do. Some of those things were not pretty. “We both know something isn’t right here.”</p>
<p>Daniel shifted his weight to his right leg. “I know Hunters. I know their code and how they operate. Going after Johnny breaks their code. Someone wanted them to attack him.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded, a rage flickering in her eyes that flashed silver. “I got that impression after he mentioned it ‘wasn’t worth the money.’ But that begs the question: Who hired him?” Her mouth pressed thin as she thought another minute. “And why did they want to kill Johnny?”</p>
<p>Daniel tried not to think about it too much last night. There were too many other things happening with Johnny going through his first shift and trying to explain what he could think of at the time to him. Now, though, he kept turning it all over in his head, sifting through everything he knew and trying to fit the pieces together to get a picture of what was happening here.</p>
<p>“Maybe,” he slowly lifted his gaze to Amanda, “it wasn’t about killing him.”</p>
<p>Something seemed to dawn on her, and Amanda stepped forward to stand right in front of him. “I hope you’re not suggesting-”</p>
<p>“That the person who hired the Hunters wanted to force Johnny to break werewolf laws?” Daniel squeezed his hands around his biceps. A sick feeling twisted in his gut. Worry tightened his throat. “What’s a better way than to have some Hunters provoke a newly turned werewolf going through his first shift on a full moon?” He ground his teeth until his jaw hurt. “They were messing with him. Trying to piss him off to get him to shift and attack them. That essentially manufactures the excuse to put him down.”</p>
<p>“But whoever hired the Hunters would have been around to make sure Johnny was the one to come out on top in this fight. Shit.” Amanda pinched at the bridge of her nose, probably realizing the same thing Daniel did.</p>
<p>“And since that person was watching, they now know that we’re involved with Johnny.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Amanda’s displeasure was clear in her silver eyes, “I hate to be a target, but Johnny’s my friend. If anyone comes after me to get to him, they’ll regret it.”</p>
<p>“I do not envy the person who thinks they can take you on.” Daniel’s mouth twitched, pulling slightly upward. “We need to figure out who is behind all of this.” His bit at his lower lip. How could this person have learned about Johnny being turned into a werewolf? And what was their endgame with Johnny?</p>
<p>A hand touched his arm, and Daniel jolted away.</p>
<p>Amanda’s frown was concerned. “I see Johnny’s not the only one with problems.”</p>
<p>Daniel breathed out slowly, but he didn’t meet her gaze. “It’s nothing. It has nothing to do with what’s happening with Johnny.”</p>
<p>“But it has to do with you.” Amanda grabbed his arm, and this time, she didn’t let him move away. Despite the sleeve of his shirt between her hand and his arm, her overwhelming concern still breached his mental blocks. “And that means it’s important.”</p>
<p>“I can deal with it on my own. And if necessary,” Daniel rolled his eyes skyward, “I can always pick up and leave. I’ve been doing that for years.”</p>
<p>Amanda slid her gaze back toward the complex, and Daniel didn’t have to look to know what drew her gaze. “You won’t leave.” Her mouth curled up at the corner. “Something tells me you’ve been looking for a reason to stay.”</p>
<p>Daniel snorted. His only reason for not immediately running was because he was tired. “Let’s just focus on keeping Johnny safe. I’ll try to hunt down any information I can. But for now, I really do need to get to work.”</p>
<p>Amanda squeezed his arm, frowning slightly. “You don’t have to deal with your problem alone.”</p>
<p>Daniel wrapped his hand lightly around her wrist and pulled her hand free from his arm. “It’s better if other people don’t get involved.” He walked the rest of the way to his car. He could feel Amanda’s eyes on him the entire way, and he resisted the urge to glance back. Climbing into the car, he wasted no time pulling out of the complex’s parking lot to head back to his own apartment.</p>
<p>How much worse could this whole situation get? Daniel rubbed at his eyes when he stopped at a light. Now, Johnny knew about his nightmares, and Amanda had her suspicions about his problem. He didn’t want either of them knowing anything more about it. Panic welled inside him. Silver was too close if Daniel had actually reached out and sensed his signature. Quickly shaking the thought from his head, he tried to focus his attention back on the problem with Johnny. He needed to figure out what this person wanted with Johnny and stop it.</p>
<p>The honk of a horn brought him out of his thoughts. Daniel glanced around and realized the light had changed. He pressed the gas and continued on his way.</p>
<p>Getting back to his apartment, Daniel hopped into the shower and washed up as quickly and thoroughly as he could. After he dried off, he wrapped the towel around his waist then walked to his room to get his uniform. Once he was dressed, he made breakfast, a bowl of plain oatmeal, which was bland but at least put something in his stomach for the time being. While he shoveled the mush into his mouth, his mind kept turning back to Johnny. Keeping control of his emotions wasn’t going to be easy, and there was a strong possibility of Johnny shifting in front of people. Daniel would have liked to stay and help Johnny learn control and find his anchor, but he couldn’t just skip work. He doubted Johnny was willing to skip work either. He would just have to hope Johnny didn’t do anything stupid.</p>
<p>Daniel washed his bowl and spoon then set them aside to dry. After a few more minutes to finish getting ready, he was out the door. He climbed back into his car, making a mental note to stop by Mr. Miyagi’s place after his shift ended so he could clean his other car. When he reached the country club, he parked in his usual spot. Then he hurried inside to start his shift. Chloe gave him a friendly greeting, and he returned it, though he wasn’t really up for making any small talk with her right now. He just wanted to distract his mind from more thoughts about Johnny and werewolves and some mysterious person targeting Johnny.</p>
<p>Breakfast went by fairly quickly. Daniel was on his way to take orders from his next table when he noticed one of the regulars harassing Chloe, who was hired on only a few months ago. His expression darkened when he noticed the pasty old guy with a bad toupee attempting to hide his balding head grab at Chloe’s butt. The action clearly made her uncomfortable. Daniel changed course, catching up with her as she headed for the kitchen.</p>
<p>“We’re trading tables,” he announced, taking the order slip from her. “Table seven is ready to have their order taken.”</p>
<p>Chloe stared at him for a silent beat then grabbed his hand with a tight squeeze. “Thank you,” she whispered gratefully.</p>
<p>Daniel watched her head off to his table. Then he shot a glare at the man sitting at table twelve. The man was laughing boisterously with his friends. Daniel seethed as he turned on his heel and walked to the kitchen to drop off the order. Later, when the order was ready to be taken out, he made a point of laying the plate in front of the man with the grabby hands. He plastered on his best customer smile as the man glowered at him.</p>
<p>“Where’s our waitress?”</p>
<p>“I’ll be your waiter for the rest of your meal,” Daniel answered smoothly, keeping the smile in place as he served the other diners at the table. He tried not to look too pleased when the man’s face turned an ugly shade of angry red.</p>
<p>“I demand our original waitress,” the man said with that entitled air that made Daniel want to punch him.</p>
<p>Daniel’s smile became slightly more tight lipped, but he bit his tongue to keep from responding. He finished serving their meal and walked away to check on his next table.</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, the men didn’t leave much of a tip. Daniel was just glad when they finally left.</p>
<p>During their break before the lunch rush, Daniel sat outside to eat. The only interruption was when Chloe found him, dropping a kiss on the top of his head as she handed him a plate of chocolate mousse cake. He smiled and shared half of it with her before they both went back inside to prepare for the lunch service. It was going fine until he looked up and spotted Ali with her parents again. He stared at the ceiling and silently cursed his life.</p>
<p>“Hey,” Daniel grabbed Owen as he was passing him, “do you think you can take table five’s order for me? I don’t want to keep them waiting long, but I have to hit the bathroom. Like now.” He made an urgent glance toward the doorway leading to the restrooms.</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah, sure.” Owen bobbed his head then made his way over to the table.</p>
<p>Daniel released his breath as he hurriedly sneaked out of the dining room, hoping this time he could escape Ali’s notice. He managed to slip into the bathroom without being caught. Why was Ali here again? He rubbed at his face. Her parents were members of the club, obviously. But didn’t they just have lunch here? Why were they here again? Did they just live at the club? He shook his head. He worked here for nearly a year without ever bumping into them. Or maybe he simply never paid them much attention because Ali wasn’t with them.</p>
<p>The bathroom door squeaked open. Daniel turned around then froze. A smile spread onto the man’s face as the door swung shut behind him.</p>
<p>“Well, isn’t this a perfect twist of fate?” The man stepped forward, and Daniel jerked back a step. “All alone now. No big bad werewolf to save you. No powerful emissary to burn my hand again.” He raised his hand, now all bandaged to hide the blistering flesh.</p>
<p>“I don’t need them to protect me from a corrupt Hunter.” Daniel leveled a glare on him. He would enjoy knocking the smile right off the Hunter’s face, but he preferred not fighting where he worked. Why was his luck so rotten lately?</p>
<p>The Hunter’s smile grew more sinister. Then he struck, his fist flying fast. Daniel responded like the movement was as natural as breathing. His arm came up to block the punch. He followed with a counter punch that caught the man in his gut. Grunting, the Hunter was forced back a step. Fury flashed in his eyes when they snapped back to Daniel.</p>
<p>“A lucky punch.” The Hunter stood up straighter, bringing up his fists. “But your luck ends now.”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed bitterly before dodging the next punch thrown his way. The Hunter was a few screws short if he thought that was luck. They traded blows and blocks. The Hunter had brute strength on his side. When his fist managed to land, hitting him in the chest, Daniel fell back, winded. He recovered quickly, catching the Hunter’s next strike. Using his strength and momentum against him, Daniel flipped the Hunter over and sent him crashing into the mirrors over the sinks. The Hunter hit the ground with a thud as the broken shards from the mirrors rained down into the sinks and onto the floor. Growling, the Hunter pushed himself up onto his hands and knees.</p>
<p>“I want some answers,” Daniel said, his body tense as he watched for another attack. “Who hired you to come after Johnny?”</p>
<p>The Hunter laughed, rising to his feet. His smirk cut cruelly beneath his bushy mustache. “That answer won’t help you.”</p>
<p>The Hunter whipped something out from behind his back. With the flick of his wrist, a burst of light blinded Daniel as smoke clouded the air before him. Daniel coughed, blinking watering eyes, but his vision was too blurred. A foot slammed into his chest. He crashed through the door, ripping it off its hinges and hitting the ground on his back with a grunt. People gasped around him, and someone screamed out in alarm. A weight settled on top of him. Everything was still on the blurry side, but he put his arms up to protect himself. He caught one wrist, struggling to hold the arm at bay. His other hand managed to find the Hunter’s throat, and he pushed, trying to force him back.</p>
<p>“Someone get security!” a woman screamed out, her panic making her voice hitch an octave or two higher.</p>
<p>Daniel gasped, his eyes widening when something sharp sank into his side just under his ribs. The Hunter took advantage of that moment of shock, overpowering him. But Daniel regained enough awareness to twist the wrist enough that the knife stabbed into the carpet, just missing his ear. A strangle shout ripped out of him as the Hunter pushed the knife deeper into his side.</p>
<p>Then the weight was lifted off him. The Hunter shouted to be let go, but his voice was moving away.</p>
<p>“Daniel!”</p>
<p>He recognized the voice, somewhere in the back of his head. But his brain was scrambling to process what was happening. Daniel managed to get to his feet, shrugging away from the hands grabbing at him.</p>
<p>“Wait. I-” Daniel stumbled into the wall. His head swam. Then he was pitching forward, the world darkening before he hit the floor again.</p>
<p>Daniel didn’t know how long he was out, but he was in that state of being between conscious and unconscious. He had that vague awareness of dreaming as he glanced around the all too familiar changing locker room.</p>
<p>He shook his head. His focus needed to be on Johnny. He clenched his jaw, frustrated that he didn’t get any answers out of the Hunter. Who could have sent the Hunter? Who else would even know about Johnny? Chozen wouldn’t have done it.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t you worry more about yourself?”</p>
<p>Daniel froze at the man’s voice. His breath caught in his throat. He was still alone in the dream setting, but the voice seemed to echo all around him.</p>
<p>“You know I’m close, Danny boy. You felt it earlier.”</p>
<p>Daniel swallowed, his heart thumping erratically in his chest. Laughter bounced off the walls.</p>
<p>“I’m going to find you. And this time-”</p>
<p>Daniel jumped, slamming his back into the wall of lockers, when Silver’s smiling face appeared suddenly before him. His hands grabbed Daniel’s arms, squeezing until it felt like he would break the bones.</p>
<p>“-You won’t escape.”</p>
<p>Daniel choked on his shout as his eyes snapped open. He didn’t immediately recognize where he was. Then hands grabbed for his arm, and panic flooded through him. He yanked away from the hands, not needing someone else’s panic on top of his own.</p>
<p>“Let go! Let go of me!” Daniel shouted, pushing away from the person.</p>
<p>“Okay.” The hands released his arm. “It’s okay, Daniel.”</p>
<p>Daniel took a few deep breaths and tried to calm his racing heart. Then he turned his head and blinked. “Ali?”</p>
<p>She smiled a little, but her brow had that deep furrow of concern. “Daniel, what happened? Why did Mr. Perkins stab you?”</p>
<p>Daniel frowned as he tugged at the hospital gown to check his side. The spot where he was stabbed had a square of white bandages taped to it. At least, he had a name to go with the Hunter’s face.</p>
<p>“Daniel?”</p>
<p>He turned back to Ali. “Did I get fired?”</p>
<p>“Did you - What? Daniel!” Ali’s eyes widened, and she looked like she was seriously considering slapping him. “Someone stabbed you! And you’re worried about that?”</p>
<p>“I kind of need the money.” Daniel climbed out of the bed. He especially was going to need the money to pay the hospital bills. He hoped they didn’t call an ambulance. “And I’m guessing Mr. Perkins is some kind of bigwig at the club. They’ll likely believe whatever shit story he tells them.”</p>
<p>“What do you think you’re doing?” Ali moved into his path. “You just got stabbed.”</p>
<p>“I need to-”</p>
<p>“Daniel!” Ali glared at him. “You disappeared on me at the club. And now you’re getting stabbed. I want some answers.”</p>
<p>Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed with a sigh. He wanted answers too. “I’m sorry about ditching you at the club.” He raked a hand through his hair, wincing when the action pulled a bit at his injury. “I saw you with Johnny.”</p>
<p>“And what?” Ali folded her arms, her mouth pursing. “You assumed Johnny was my fiancé?”</p>
<p>“I,” Daniel hunched his shoulders, “might have.”</p>
<p>Ali sighed, shaking her head. “I hadn’t seen Johnny since high school until that night.” She sat down next to him on the bed. “He ended up running away too. What is wrong with the two of you anyway? You see him, and you leave. He hears your name, and he bails. Can’t you just get past all that macho crap already?”</p>
<p>Daniel frowned but held his tongue about the “macho crap.” “I don’t think we were meant to ever be friends.”</p>
<p>“Did you ever give it a try?” Ali tipped her head down as she lifted an eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t you be asking Johnny that? He’s the one that shoved me to the ground first.”</p>
<p>Ali rolled her eyes to the ceiling as she threw her hands up in the air. “This is why you can never get over anything. Who cares who did what first?”</p>
<p>“Well, it’s not like our lives intersect that often. Or at all, really.” Daniel stood. “And now, I should go talk to someone about getting discharged and see how much paying for all this is going to cost me.”</p>
<p>“The bill is all taken care of.” Ali waved it off.</p>
<p>“Ali, you didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Daniel, it’s not a big deal.”</p>
<p>“You really shouldn’t be paying for something like this. For me.” Daniel frowned, uncomfortable. He knew he didn’t have a lot of money, but having someone pay for big expenses for him made him feel small and pathetic. Mr. Sato offered, numerous times over the years, to send him money, but Daniel always turned it down, unless he could offer some service in return for the money. “I don’t want to owe you anything.”</p>
<p>“You don’t.” Ali sighed as she stood. “Just think of it as me paying you back for wrecking your car after prom.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded, but he still didn’t like it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me not believing Ali's version of the break up? No, what would ever give you that idea?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny stepped out of his apartment and headed for his car. Spotting Amanda still standing in the little courtyard, he paused with his keys in his hand. “I thought you left for work.”</p>
<p>Amanda’s mouth was drawn in a thin line. “You need to figure out what’s happening with Daniel.”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head as he walked past her. “Why should I care about what’s happening with him?” He didn’t need to hear her response. The little voice in his head was already telling him he should care because LaRusso cared enough to help him. He never asked for LaRusso’s help, but he had to admit he appreciated it. If LaRusso wasn’t there last night, Johnny suspected that whole wolf thing would have gone a lot worse. Not to mention his utter confusion in not knowing anything about being a werewolf.</p>
<p>Ugh, he couldn’t believe he ate a raw steak last night. But being a literal wolf, Johnny guessed he shouldn’t be too disgusted by that.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Amanda said, giving him that stern stare like she already knew the thoughts going through his head. “Whatever’s going on with him, it’s important.”</p>
<p>Johnny turned around, folding his arms. “Why don’t you ask him about it then?” A growl was working its way up his throat, and he shoved it back down. His eyes did that weird thing again, he could feel it now, and he had to concentrate on getting them to return to normal.</p>
<p>Amanda stepped toward him with a knowing smirk. “Because I already tried talking to him about it, and he seemed dead set on staying quiet.”</p>
<p>Johnny cocked an eyebrow. “And you think I’ll stand a better chance?” He snorted. “In case you missed, the guy kind of hates me. He’s always looking for an excuse to pick a fight with me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, honey.” Amanda patted his arm like she was consoling a stubborn child. “If he really hated you, do you honestly think he would have tracked you down and fought off Hunters to make sure you were safe?” She lifted her eyebrow at him, and Johnny huffed, shooting a glare off to some random point away from her. “And despite all that stuff Daniel said about the first shift, I’m pretty sure he had a lot to do with keeping you calm and in control.”</p>
<p>“Whatever,” Johnny muttered, not wanting to think about what that could possibly mean. “So, I’m supposed to just ask him what the hell his problem is?”</p>
<p>Amanda rolled her eyes. “Wow. Okay. No, maybe you could try actually talking to him. Getting to know him. See if you can get him to open up to you.” She checked the time on her watch. “And now I really need to go because I’m cutting it way too close.” She offered him a smile. “Promise you’ll talk to him.”</p>
<p>Johnny shrugged a shoulder. “I can try.” He doubted it would do much good. He was the last person LaRusso would probably share private details of his life with. Maybe with some beers, he could loosen those tight lips. “I need to head out too. Dealing with these Encino ladies was already bad enough. Now with these wolf senses, or whatever, it’s hell. The amount of perfumy smells this lady has in her house makes me want to claw off my nose.”</p>
<p>Her smile turned sympathetic. “It’s rough in the beginning. But when you learn to control it, you’ll be able to block at some scents.” She waved as she walked to her car.</p>
<p>“I hope it doesn’t take long to control.” Johnny rubbed at his nose as he turned to his own car. He climbed into the car then headed for the client’s house.</p>
<p>The overly floral and chemical scents filling the house wasn’t any better today than it was yesterday. Johnny rubbed at his head, trying to fight back that nauseous sensation coiling in his gut at the overload of smells. Mrs. Porter hovered around while he worked. She gave him the stink eye, like she waiting for him to mess up. Maybe to ‘cut’ himself again, so she could complain about him getting blood everywhere. He huffed a sigh and tried to filter out some of the smells in the house. He didn’t think he was succeeding very well.</p>
<p>Maybe LaRusso had some advice on how to do it.</p>
<p>Johnny frowned. He didn’t want to rely on LaRusso’s help for this, but he definitely wasn’t going to track down some stupid Alpha he knew nothing about. It was odd to think he actually trusted LaRusso. Amanda was another option. After that morning, though, he expected her to suggest seeking out LaRusso, and talking to him. Ugh.</p>
<p>Maybe there was a way to get around talking to LaRusso, about whatever this ‘important’ thing was. If anyone knew LaRusso well enough to have some insight, it would be his sensei. And how many Mr. Miyagis could there be in the Valley? Finding his address couldn’t be that hard.</p>
<p>The moment he was finished with work in the late afternoon, Johnny hurried off to look up the address. He was right. There was only one Mr. Miyagi. With the address scribbled down on a scrap of paper, Johnny got back into his car and started driving to find the house. What was he even going to say when he got there? He hadn’t seen Mr. Miyagi since the tournament, and he doubted the man had a good opinion of him. Johnny raked his hand through his hair, scratching at his head. He would be lucky if the man didn’t slam the door in his face.</p>
<p>The house turned out to be a bit more difficult to find than he thought. It was out of the way and on the other side of some train tracks. The little green house with its fenced in yard looked out of place where it sat. Johnny frowned as he parked his car out front. A few cars were lined up with tarps over them. He climbed out of his car, glancing at the beat-up piece of junk he parked next to. He spied some blood on the passenger’s seat and the steering wheel. That was probably the car LaRusso drove him in after the bite, he realized. He stared at the blood. LaRusso could have easily just left him instead of taking him back to his place and patching him up, even though the bite healed.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, Johnny walked up to the front door. It was the late afternoon, and the sun was starting to set. He took a breath then knocked on the door. No turning back now.</p>
<p>After a few minutes of waiting, the door slid open. Mr. Miyagi stood in front of him, looking mostly the same except maybe a few more wrinkles and maybe his hair was a bit thinner. He looked Johnny over, his eyes narrowing slightly when he met with Johnny’s eyes. Then he bobbed a short nod and turned back into the house, leaving the door open for Johnny to follow. With a thick swallow, Johnny stepped into the house and slid the door shut behind him. After he removed his shoes, he followed Mr. Miyagi farther into the house.</p>
<p>“Uh, Mr. Miyagi-”</p>
<p>“Johnny-san,” Mr. Miyagi landed a sharp stare on him, and Johnny stiffened, waiting for the shouting, “would you care for some tea?”</p>
<p>“Huh?” Johnny blinked as Mr. Miyagi turned away from him and headed toward the kitchen. “Uh, no, that’s okay.” He glanced around the room while he had a moment alone. It was nice, clean. The floor was smooth wood boards. The whole house, really, was wood, giving it a nice smell. It was comforting and didn’t make his nose itchy with overwhelming irritation. Then he caught a whiff of the tea Mr. Miyagi was making, but he didn’t really know teas. He assumed it was something Japanese. “I, uh, wanted to ask you about something.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi walked back out of the kitchen, carrying a tray with a teapot and two ceramic cups. “Hm,” he bobbed his head thoughtfully, “why not ask Daniel-san?”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned as Mr. Miyagi knelt at the low table in the front room, placing the tray down. “Uh, no, I don’t think that would be a good idea.” For lack of anything else to do, he knelt down, awkwardly, opposite Mr. Miyagi. “He probably wouldn’t want to talk to me about it.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi lifted his gaze briefly before returning his attention to pouring the tea into the two cups. “You won’t know unless you ask.” He moved one of the cups to sit in front of Johnny. Then he picked up his own cup, holding it so his fingers rested underneath the bottom of the cup.</p>
<p>Johnny stared at the cup before him, steam lightly curling up from the hot tea. “He told you about me?”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi stared at him like he could see right into Johnny’s soul. Then he slowly tilted his head downward. “Daniel-san was very worried about you.”</p>
<p>Johnny’s mouth pursed as he struggled with that statement. But it wasn’t wrong. Was it? Obviously, LaRusso had worried if he came barging into Johnny’s apartment to stop the Hunters. Johnny shook his head. What was his life anymore? Then he raised his gaze back to Mr. Miyagi.</p>
<p>“So, what’s his story then?” Johnny clenched his fists then folded his arms on top of the table to try to hide his hands.</p>
<p>“Johnny-san should speak with Daniel-san.”</p>
<p>Johnny sighed, hanging his head. “He won’t talk to me.”</p>
<p>“Have you tried?”</p>
<p>“I used to kick his ass!” Johnny spread his arms out, nearly knocking over the cup of tea. “Why would he talk to me about anything?”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi was quiet for a long time. “Johnny-san has a good heart.” He smiled, secretively, when Johnny lifted his head. “Show him, and Daniel-san will talk to you.”</p>
<p>Johnny was ready to argue. He didn’t see how he could possibly convince LaRusso to talk with him. Then a crack filled the air, a familiar sound of wood breaking. Johnny jerked his head around to the sliding door behind the table where they sat. He smelled it before the door even opened, that metallic stench of blood. Mr. Miyagi sighed as he carefully placed his cup down on the table. The door slid open with a sharp clap, and LaRusso stood there, blood dripping from his knuckles. He walked into the house, not even seeming to register the other occupants of the room as he passed the table.</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi bowed his head to Johnny before he stood and followed LaRusso to some other part of the house. Johnny guessed to wherever they kept their first aid kit. A frown pulled across his face. Maybe Amanda was right to be worried about whatever the hell was wrong with LaRusso. Johnny stayed where he sat, but he listened closely. Having enhanced senses had some benefits, he guessed.</p>
<p>“It’s fine, Mr. Miyagi,” LaRusso said, and Johnny clenched his teeth. A person didn’t bust up their knuckles like that if things were fine.</p>
<p>“Daniel-san,” Mr. Miyagi said in a quiet but stern tone, “what happened?”</p>
<p>LaRusso didn’t answer right away, breathing in deeply a few times, but there was still an angry thump to his heart beat. “The Hunter showed up at work. We fought. Of course, he spins the tale that I attacked him, even though he struck first. And I guess that dick from the club hopped on board with the story and said I was threatening him. When he was the one who was grabbing Chloe’s ass during breakfast service, and I was just trying to get her away from that by taking over her table.” Johnny could imagine LaRusso’s furious face as he waved his arms around in wild gestures. “So, my boss thinks I’m unstable with anger problems and fired me. And without that job, I can’t make enough to afford rent this month. Even if I were to pick up more shifts at the mini mart.” He was huffing loudly by the time he finished speaking.</p>
<p>“My home is always open to you,” Mr. Miyagi said in a kind voice as Johnny stood.</p>
<p>“You know why I can’t come back.” LaRusso’s voice was painfully miserable.</p>
<p>Johnny walked down the hall to find them in the bathroom. LaRusso’s hands were bandaged, and Mr. Miyagi knelt on the floor, looking over his bruised feet. What the hell was LaRusso doing to injure himself like that? He lifted his gaze, but LaRusso focused his gaze on the floor.</p>
<p>“I’ve got space,” Johnny said before his brain even caught up with the fact that his mouth was moving and making sounds. LaRusso’s head snapped up, and Johnny smirked to hide the overwhelming need to take those words back. But they were out there already and far too late to act like he had said nothing.</p>
<p>“What?” LaRusso blinked his wide, disbelieving eyes.</p>
<p>Johnny shrugged, casting a quick glance down at Mr. Miyagi, who he was certain was doing a poor job at hiding a smirk. “I said,” he folded his arms as he leaned against the door frame, “I have room. If you need a place to stay.”</p>
<p>LaRusso scowled with a mutter of, “Stupid werewolf hearing.” He flinched slightly when Mr. Miyagi prodded at his foot, which probably wasn’t by accident. “I’ve seen your apartment. It wasn’t much.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorted. “And I’ve seen yours. It wasn’t that much better. And,” he tilted his head to the side, the corner of his mouth lifting, “Amanda lives next door. You and her can make plans on her little dealership idea. Plus, our apartments actually have wards on them. And,” he released a drawn out sigh, “let’s face it. I need help with this whole werewolf thing. It might not hurt having you around to teach me stuff.” And it would be a lot easier to work out just what was going on with LaRusso if Johnny could keep an eye on him.</p>
<p>LaRusso chewed on his lip, lowering his gaze to his hands. The hesitation didn’t surprise Johnny. If their roles were reversed, he probably wouldn’t accept the handout from LaRusso.</p>
<p>“I would still expect you to pay rent,” Johnny added, keeping his tone indifferent. “Neither of us live in a place where the rent is all that high, so splitting the cost would actually help save us some money in long run.”</p>
<p>“It could be a good arrangement, Daniel-san.”</p>
<p>LaRusso let out a long, suffering sigh. “Okay.” He held up his hands with a shake of his head. “I guess there are some benefits to this.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded his head. That was surprisingly easier than he expected, though he suspected that was mostly due to Mr. Miyagi’s endorsement. “You can move in whenever you’re ready.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took a few days before Daniel got out of his lease on the apartment and could pack up his things to leave. He chose Thursday to make the move since he didn’t have the night shift that day. Everything was packed up and loaded into his car, the piece of junk car he didn’t really like, after finally cleaning up the blood. Getting everything shoved into his trunk took less time than he expected, even when he was purposely taking his time. He sat in the driver’s seat and stared up at the apartment complex. He lived there for only a year. Leaving it behind shouldn’t feel as strange as it did. He picked up and moved all the time.</p>
<p>It was because of Johnny. Daniel rubbed at his face. Why did he agree to this? He knew it made sense. If he was living with Johnny, he could better help him with learning to control his wolf. But that was assuming the two of them could survive being in the same place without trying to kill each other. He leaned his head back against the headrest. Johnny hadn’t tried to kill him after his first shift into a wolf. Maybe they could make this work. <i>Maybe</i>.</p>
<p>Sighing, Daniel started his car then left his old apartment complex behind. It was late enough that he missed the rush hour of people getting off work, so the drive over didn’t take him too long. It was already dark out when he reached Johnny’s apartment complex. He parked in the lot then climbed out of the car. Walking up to the door, he knocked on it. Johnny didn’t give him a key after he left Mr. Miyagi’s house.</p>
<p>And nothing.</p>
<p>Daniel pressed his back against the door then slid down to sit on the ground. Of course, Johnny wasn’t home. He banged his head back and stared upward. Maybe he should have made sure Johnny would actually be here when he showed up, but Johnny had said whenever.</p>
<p>“Daniel?”</p>
<p>He turned his head to see Amanda. “Oh, hey.” He smiled as he stood. “Just getting home?”</p>
<p>Amanda sighed. “Yeah, busy day at the dealership.” She unlocked the door to her apartment. “Did you come to visit Johnny?”</p>
<p>“Uh, well,” Daniel bit the corner of his lip, “more like move in with Johnny?”</p>
<p>Amanda’s eyebrows shot upward as she froze with the door only slightly ajar. “Move in?” She blinked, seeming to struggle with the very concept. Then she laughed. “Are you hungry?”</p>
<p>Daniel frowned a bit at the laughter. “Yeah, I could eat.” He pushed himself up to his feet. “I kind of rushed packed and came over.” He hadn’t really, but Amanda didn’t need to know that. “Does Johnny always work late?”</p>
<p>“Come on in.” Amanda walked into her apartment, and Daniel followed her. “Hm, I think he had something else tonight.”</p>
<p>Her apartment was a bit nicer, cleaner really. Her furniture was a lot newer than the crap he had back in his old apartment, but he didn’t put much care into furnishing his apartment. Why bother when he always had the idea of leaving in the back of his head? It might have shrunk to a small voice, but it never left.</p>
<p>“But he’ll probably be home soon enough.” Amanda was already in the kitchen with the refrigerator opened. “I hope you don’t mind store bought premade stuff.” She looked over her shoulder with an apologetic smile. “I spend so much time at the dealership and work on everything I’m going to need once I can open my own, that I don’t really have the time for cooking.”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed as he walked over to join her. “That’s fine. My ma would have a heart attack though. She’s a big believer in home cooked meals.”</p>
<p>“I guess she would really hate me.” Amanda grimaced as she stood up, holding a container in one hand. “Is pasta okay?”</p>
<p>“Sounds great. I’m not as picky about food as my ma.” Daniel smiled as Amanda bumped the refrigerator shut with her hip. She grabbed two forks from a drawer and handed one to him. After she popped the top off the container, they dug into the creamy tomato and spinach pasta.</p>
<p>“So, what led to this whole moving in with Johnny thing?” Amanda arched an eyebrow before stuffing another forkful into her mouth.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed, not feeling like retelling the story. He had tried to look up Mr. Perkins, but there were too many in the area to know which one was the actual Hunter. “Got fired from one of my jobs. The one I actually preferred. So, I can’t really make my rent, and Johnny offered.” He rolled a shoulder. “I’ll have to look at some other job options.”</p>
<p>“I can’t pay you, but you can help me with planning on opening my dealership.” Amanda grinned, and Daniel couldn’t help laughing a little.</p>
<p>“Well, if there’s an opening where you work right now, getting some experience selling cars might be good for me.”</p>
<p>Amanda hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll see what I can do.”</p>
<p>Daniel smiled and held up his fork. “Maybe this is the start of a beautiful friendship.”</p>
<p>Amanda tapped her fork against his with a light clank of metal on metal. They chatted for a bit, Amanda filling him in on details about her preparation for her own dealership. Daniel didn’t think she needed his help much when she seemed to already have everything well planned out, but he was happy to offer whatever bit of help he could.</p>
<p>“Looks like your new roomie just got home.” Amanda turned away from the window where she was standing while sipping from a glass of wine. It was a cheap wine and kind of had a funky aftertaste. She promised to buy the good stuff after they finally opened their own dealership.</p>
<p>Daniel leaned forward to set his glass down on the table in front of the couch. “I guess that’s my cue to leave. I don’t have a lot of stuff, but I would like to get it moved out of my car.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded as she walked him to the door. “Do you need any help with it?”</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head. “It’s really not that much. Thanks for dinner.” He leaned over to leave a kiss on her cheek before he opened the door.</p>
<p>“I’m always happy to have you over.” Amanda smiled as she leaned against the door frame. “And I’ll let you know about the job.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded. When he turned around, he saw Johnny standing a few feet in front of him. Johnny raised an eyebrow, holding his keys in one hand and a guitar case in the other. Daniel’s gaze lingered on the case before he snapped it back up to Johnny.</p>
<p>“I was waiting for you.”</p>
<p>The eyebrow inched a little higher before Johnny continued toward his door. “Hey, not going to blame you if you’re interested in her.” He unlocked the door then, with a knowing smirk, walked inside. With a slight furrowing of his brow, Daniel hurried to follow him, relieved that he didn’t bounce back off the wards. “Amanda’s smart and beautiful. And she’s always been a great neighbor to me.”</p>
<p>Daniel rolled his eyes, but he was certain there was a hint of teasing in Johnny’s voice. “She only invited me in so I wasn’t sitting outside the whole time waiting for you to come back. I, uh,” he swallowed, suddenly nervous as Johnny turned back to face him. What if Johnny decided he didn’t want him there after all? “I have my stuff in my car.”</p>
<p>“Are you planning on just leaving it there?” Johnny leaned the guitar case against the wall.</p>
<p>“No, just-” Daniel waved a hand in his uncertainty.</p>
<p>Johnny slapped a hand onto his shoulder and turned Daniel back toward the door. “Come on. Let’s get the moving over with.”</p>
<p>Relief washed the tension out of his shoulders as they walked to his car. This was actually happening. He was moving into an apartment with Johnny Lawrence. He could hear a hysterical laugh in his head, because this whole idea was crazy. The tension crept back into his body. He was going to be living with Johnny freaking Lawrence.</p>
<p>“Your mood keeps jumping. What’s going on?”</p>
<p>Daniel jerked forward a few steps and popped open the trunk of his car. “Just still surprised you offered to let me stay here.” Which was true, so Johnny couldn’t call him out on a lie. He reached into the trunk and grabbed one of the duffle bags to sling over his shoulders. Then he hauled out one of the boxes with his notebooks</p>
<p>“This is really all you have?” Johnny frowned, taking the other two duffle bags and another box.</p>
<p>“It was easier this way.” Daniel shrugged as he turned back to the apartment. “Would you rather I have a shit ton of stuff? It’s not like your apartment is huge.”</p>
<p>“I guess I just expected you to have more stuff.” Johnny led the way about to his apartment.</p>
<p>They dropped off their first load then walked back to the car to grab the remaining few boxes, including the medical chest and his kitchen stuff, out of the trunk. Daniel slammed the trunk shut before he followed Johnny back into the apartment.</p>
<p>“So,” Johnny said after he closed the door, “how did that Hunter even find you?”</p>
<p>Daniel sighed, dropping the medical chest inside the doorway with the rest of his stuff. If he had known Johnny was at the house at that time, he might not have explained thing so openly to Mr. Miyagi. “I went to the bathroom, and he happened to walk in after me.” He sighed, folding his arms. “And since he’s a member of the Encino Oaks Country Club, that means he’s got money and influence.” He forced a fake smile, showing off his teeth. “Isn’t that great?”</p>
<p>Johnny groaned as he set down the boxes he carried next to the other boxes and duffle bags. “Wonderful,” he muttered with a hint of bitterness. “What’s the deal with all of this stuff anyway?” He crouched down, picking up one of the notebooks from a box.</p>
<p>Before all of this, Daniel might have panicked and tried to keep Johnny from looking at them. Now, he simply shrugged. “It’s what I’ve been doing all these years.”</p>
<p>Johnny squinted after he flipped the notebook open then turned it around, tilting his head. “You can read this?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Daniel bit his lip to keep from smiling too much in amusement, “it’s Japanese. We stayed in Okinawa for a while, so I picked it up.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded, but there was still a crease on his brow. “And what does it say?”</p>
<p>Daniel walked up behind him and leaned over his shoulder. “Ah, that one is talking about tanuki. They’re, uh, this Japanese raccoon dog with the ability to shapeshift. There are some illustrations too. I’ve only met one. I think. It’s hard to really know unless they accidentally reveal themselves.”</p>
<p>“I would call you nuts if I hadn’t literally turned into a wolf.” Johnny sighed as he closed the notebook and tossed it back into the box.</p>
<p>Daniel stared at him for a moment before lowering his gaze. “You shouldn’t have been forced into this.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his shoulder. “Can’t do much about it now. Are you going to tell me you had a choice in all of this?” He waved his hand at the boxes of notebooks. When Daniel shook his head, Johnny smirked like he won something with that silent admission. “Are all of these in Japanese?”</p>
<p>“Only the ones from Sato-san.” Daniel stood up straight again. “I wrote the others while living with various creatures or people who had knowledge about them. That’s how I learned about werewolves.”</p>
<p>Johnny stared into the boxes, his mouth tugging downward at the collection inside them. “You’ve been around to a lot of places then?”</p>
<p>“Something like that.” Daniel turned away to hide his grimace. Travel sounded like it should be some amazing adventure, and he did enjoy meeting so many different people, and creatures, and learning from them. But his life still felt empty, hollow, like he merely existed in the world without being a part of it. “So,” he walked over to where the guitar case leaned, “I noticed before when Amanda came in the morning after the full moon. You play?” He placed a hand on the guitar case then turned back to Johnny as he lifted a curious eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Does that surprise you?” Johnny walked over.</p>
<p>“I might have to hear it to believe it.” Daniel smirked as Johnny picked up the case and carried it over to the couch. He followed and dropped down on the other side of the couch. “But I guess,” he watched as Johnny pulled out the guitar, “I can’t say I’m too surprised. You always did have that Walkman with you in high school. So, you taking an interest in playing an instrument isn’t that big a leap to make.”</p>
<p>Johnny lifted his eyebrow as he rested the guitar over his legs. “Think you paid too much attention to me?” His mouth curved in that irritating half smirk when Daniel scoffed. “And just so you know, this,” he gestured to his guitar, “is a bass guitar.”</p>
<p>“From that, I’m guessing it’s different from a regular guitar.” Daniel laughed at the glare he received. “Yes, I know what a bass guitar is. I’m not a complete musical idiot.”</p>
<p>“That remains to be seen.” Johnny started playing, and Daniel couldn’t even be mad at the comment. The song he played wasn’t something Daniel was familiar with, but it had a good upbeat melody, something that would get people dancing. “I’ve been working on memorizing the songs for the band I just joined. We’re playing a gig tomorrow night.”</p>
<p>“That’s awesome!” Daniel smiled, but it faltered slightly when Johnny looked up at him with an unreadable expression.</p>
<p>Johnny stopped playing and leaned the guitar against the armrest. “I like this band. They’re definitely a better fit than my last one.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded, chewing on his lip in thought. “That’s good.”</p>
<p>“What?” Johnny frowned, his eyes taking on a darker shade, almost giving the impression that he was gearing up for a fight.</p>
<p>“Oh, nothing.” Daniel quickly waved his hands in front of him. “I was just – Well, you mentioned before about your Cobra-”</p>
<p>“Ex-Cobra.”</p>
<p>“Right. Your ex-Cobra friends being pack.” Daniel held up a hand when Johnny opened his mouth to comment again. “And I get they’re your brothers. I would never say they weren’t. But I was thinking, if they’re not always around, not like how they were in high school, having people who are closer to you as pack could be good. Having them around would definitely make the wolf part of you calmer.” He dropped his hands into his lap. “A band. You’ll spend lots of time with them. Practicing, playing gigs, writing songs. You’ll really get to know them. If this new band works out well for you, they could be part of your pack.”</p>
<p>Johnny rubbed his knuckles along one side of his jaw as he mulled things over. “So, packs really aren’t limited to just other werewolves?”</p>
<p>“Strangely enough, no. Not from my experiences anyway.” Daniel leaned back against the couch, drawing his legs up to his chest. “But it’s a little more than just saying someone’s your friend and that makes them pack. There has to be a pretty strong bond. Like with you and your ex-Cobra friends. You call them brothers. That’s a strong bond. They’re people you’d protect with all your being. You’ve got their back, and they have yours. That’s what a pack is about.” His mouth curled upward. “Family.”</p>
<p>“You’re a sappy guy, huh?” Johnny rolled his eyes when Daniel shrugged. “But I get what you mean.” He turned his head away then back after a moment. “Would Amanda count then? We’ve been friends for a long time now, and I would kick anyone’s ass if they tried to mess with her. Though maybe she doesn’t need my help as much as I thought.”</p>
<p>“An emissary in your pack is a good idea.”</p>
<p>“Still don’t really know what that is.”</p>
<p>“Mostly, they’re like guides. They offer their counsel and knowledge to their pack. And they know magic, offer protection.” Daniel waved around the apartment in vague reference to the wards. “I’m sure Amanda would be happy to be part of your pack. She cares about you.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded as he placed his guitar back into its case. Then he stood. “I guess you’re in too then.” He walked around the couch and moved to lean the guitar case against the wall where he originally left it.</p>
<p>Daniel blinked at the spot where Johnny was siting a moment ago. Then he twisted around to follow his movements. “Wait. What?”</p>
<p>“The pack. My pack.” Johnny shrugged without turning to face him. “If Amanda’s in, then you’re in too. There’s no way Amanda would let her business partner be excluded.”</p>
<p>Daniel wasn’t sure what to think about that. Despite how Johnny said it, something hung in the air. Something Daniel couldn’t pin down and name. Did Johnny actually want him in his pack? Was this just his way of asking without having to admit it? Daniel slid down on the couch, ignoring that little spark of warmth in his chest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I have a question.”</p>
<p>Johnny left the guitar case where it was leaning against the wall. He turned his gaze to the ceiling and prayed LaRusso wasn’t about to interrogate him about the pack thing. That wasn’t a question he wanted to answer. But when LaRusso talked about what it meant to be pack mates, he realized LaRusso fit. LaRusso could have left him to deal with all this werewolf shit on his own, but instead, he took him home and made sure Johnny didn’t bleed out before the bite healed. Then he rushed in and saved him from the Hunters. He even lost his job because of the Hunter. LaRusso clearly had his back, just like a pack mate would.</p>
<p>It only made sense that Johnny should have LaRusso’s back in return. Maybe that was why he offered to let LaRusso move in with him. Some subconscious pack mentality. If absolutely forced to give an answer, that would be it.</p>
<p>“If it’s about dinner, I think there’s only a couple bottles of Banquet in the fridge.” Johnny walked over to the couch and leaned over the back of it, resting his forearms over the back.</p>
<p>LaRusso stared at him for a good long moment then shook his head. “Okay. So, first thing tomorrow I’m going to the store. How do you not have food?” He frowned severely when Johnny merely shrugged. “How have you survived this long?” he mumbled under his breath, but Johnny could hear it as clearly as if he spoke normally. Werewolf hearing, ha!</p>
<p>“If it wasn’t about dinner,” Johnny reached up to stroke his chin, thinking, “then was it about the band? Because you’re totally free to come to the gig, if you’re interested.” And he was not going to think about the look on LaRusso’s face when he listened to him play. LaRusso’s smile was soft, and his eyes transfixed on Johnny. The scent coming off him was warm and happy. Maybe something cinnamon? And Johnny was putting that completely out of his head right this instance.</p>
<p>LaRusso laughed. “I’ll definitely come if I can make it. I’d have to check my schedule at the mini mart. I tend to have the late shift.”</p>
<p>Johnny smiled before managing to school his expression. “So, that wasn’t it either? Hm.” He leaned back slightly. “Well, if you were going to ask about Amanda, I hate to break your heart, but I think she has her eye on someone else.”</p>
<p>LaRusso lifted his eyebrows, almost like he was trying to say, “I knew you were messing with me!” Then he shook his head. “You’re going to make me forget my question now.” He huffed in frustration, and Johnny smirked. LaRusso made it too easy sometimes. He sighed, rubbing at his forehead as Johnny waited patiently. Finally, his hand fell away, and he turned his head to stare up at Johnny. “When you came into the mini mart,” he chewed on his lip, “why were you happy to see me?”</p>
<p>Johnny stared, his brain trying to process the question. Where was that even coming from? Then he shook his head like it might rid some of cobwebs from his mind. “What are you talking about?”</p>
<p>LaRusso seemed to draw in on himself as he turned his head away. “Uh, forget I asked.” He climbed off the couch then walked over to his things.</p>
<p>“No.” Johnny closed the distance and caught his elbow before LaRusso could bend down to pick up his duffle bags. “You can’t just ask something like that then say never mind.”</p>
<p>LaRusso sighed, his gaze lowering to where Johnny’s hand held him. “When you paid, our – um, you were happy? I’ve just wondered about that.”</p>
<p>Johnny still hadn’t let go of LaRusso’s elbow, but LaRusso also hadn’t tried to pull free. “How would you know if I was happy?” He stared into those big brown eyes, searching for the answer.</p>
<p>Then LaRusso turned his gaze away. “The same way I know you’re feeling confused right now. And maybe a bit frustrated at not understanding any of this.”</p>
<p>“And how can you tell that?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shrugged. “I just can. I usually try to keep the guards up, but physical touch still makes things get through. So, when our hands touched for a second at the mini mart, I couldn’t block out that brief moment of happiness you seemed to feel.”</p>
<p>Johnny dipped his gaze, absently rubbing his thumb back and forth. “Any kind of touch?”</p>
<p>“Skin to skin.” LaRusso kept his gaze away, but the tip of his ear darkened from a blush. His embarrassment hung heavy in the air and tickled Johnny’s nose. “But I can lower my guards to let in people’s emotions. I don’t like doing it, especially in crowds, because it can get overwhelming.” Then he lifted his head. “But that’s how I was able to find you in time to stop the Hunters. You, well everyone really, have a unique emotional signature. Mr. Miyagi just started teaching me how to do that. I didn’t even know it was possible.”</p>
<p>“Have you always been able to do that?” Johnny thought back to all their interactions back in high school. Was LaRusso’s anger a result of him feeling Johnny’s anger? Did it work like that? “The whole emotion reading thing?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shook his head. “No, not always.” Then he pulled his arm free and bent down to grab his duffle bags. “So, I guess I’ll be taking the couch.”</p>
<p>“How long, LaRusso?” Johnny tried not to use a harsh tone, but there was still a firmness to his voice. He was getting the answer, even if he had to repeat the question multiple times.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t in high school, okay?” LaRusso stood up with a sigh, the duffle bags hanging in his hands.</p>
<p>Johnny frowned at that response. This whole weird emotion reading ability started after high school? Did something happen to trigger the ability? Did it have anything to do with the nightmares LaRusso suffered?</p>
<p>“I guess it’s still pretty early,” LaRusso said, his attention focused on something across the room as he dropped the duffle bags on the couch. When Johnny followed his gaze, he realized LaRusso was staring at the time on the microwave. It was only half past nine. Then LaRusso twisted around, a grin spreading onto his face. “Want to try turning into a wolf again?”</p>
<p>Johnny’s eyebrow inched upward. He still wanted to get to the bottom of whatever was going on with LaRusso, but it seemed like LaRusso wasn’t going to say anything more about his abilities. Johnny already knew how stubborn LaRusso could be. If he pushed, he knew it would only lead to them fighting. Right now, he was trying to avoid that. Amanda believed it was important to figure out LaRusso’s problems. If he was honest, he was beginning to feel that way too. He would never find out the answers if he provoked LaRusso into fighting. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.</p>
<p>“Isn’t that a full moon thing?”</p>
<p>LaRusso rolled his eyes. “The full moon heightens your abilities, and a lot of werewolves can’t help but shift because the need to do so is just too strong. I’ve met some older werewolves that have learned enough control to avoid being forced to shift. And I mean, like <i>really old</i>. But many see no real point in learning that skill. Your senses and strength are much stronger as a wolf. You can shift whenever you like once you’ve learned how.” He grinned, excitement almost making him bounce on the balls of his feet, like he enjoyed being able to help.</p>
<p>“All right.” Johnny folded his arms. “So, how does this work?”</p>
<p>LaRusso approached him slowly, and Johnny could smell the hesitation on him. When he got close enough, LaRusso struck, a hard punch connecting with his jaw. The force, and the shock from the surprise attack, almost made Johnny stumble. He snapped his head back around with a deep growl, anger flooding through him. This time, he recognized the shift in his eyes as his teeth sharpened to those of a wolf. LaRusso immediately backed up several steps with his hands raised.</p>
<p>“Anger is usually the easiest emotion to draw it out,” LaRusso explained quickly.</p>
<p>“You enjoyed that a little too much,” Johnny muttered, rubbing at his jaw. “Is that how it’s going to be? You have to punch me to make me angry enough to shift?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shook his head, but he managed to look a bit guilty. “Most times, anger is used to get werewolves used to shifting. Because anger usually comes quick and strong. You remember how we were in high school.” He laughed lightly. “Always ready to fight.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Johnny agreed in a growly voice, “I think I can remember that.”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded, his mouth twitching like he was trying not to smile. “But you’ll eventually learn to shift without needing to be angry. And anyway, you have werewolf healing. Any punch I throw at you will heal pretty quick.”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned, his eyes and teeth returning to normal. His gaze immediately went to LaRusso’s throat. The bruising was mostly gone, but he felt the weight of the guilt in his chest. LaRusso probably still had light bruises on his arms too, but they were hidden under the long sleeves of his navy blue hoodie, which he left unzipped over a pale blue shirt with a faded Mickey Mouse on it.</p>
<p>“Don’t think about it.” LaRusso must have noticed his gaze, or maybe the feeling of guilt was strong enough for him to pick up on it. Either way, he knew what was on his mind before Johnny could even voice an apology. “This,” his fingers brushed over the remains of the bruise, “wasn’t a conscious thought in your mind. You weren’t even really awake when it happened. You’d just been bitten. I don’t blame you for it.”</p>
<p>Johnny lifted his gaze. “And I could have killed you.”</p>
<p>LaRusso stepped closer, placing his hands on Johnny’s shoulders. “But you didn’t,” he said firmly, holding Johnny’s gaze. That warm, comforting feeling Johnny remembered during his first shift came over him. LaRusso didn’t want him to feel guilty.</p>
<p>“You sure this,” Johnny rubbed at his jaw again, “wasn’t just payback?”</p>
<p>“Nah.” LaRusso shook his head, his nose scrunching up just slightly as he smirked. “You just have such a punchable face.”</p>
<p>“Dick,” Johnny muttered, but it only made LaRusso smirk more.</p>
<p>Johnny waved a hand, gesturing for LaRusso to come at him again. Now that he knew it was coming, he had to resist blocking as he was trained to do. Letting LaRusso punch him was better than being shocked by that damn Hunter. When he recalled that memory, anger overwhelmed him. Growling, he lashed out, swiping his hand at LaRusso, who stumbled back so quickly he fell over himself and hit the ground. LaRusso stared at him, his eyes widening and his heart pounding in his chest. Johnny dropped to his knees, clutching his head in his hands. Bones were breaking and shifting like last time.</p>
<p>“That’s it, Johnny,” LaRusso said. The stench of fear was fading from him, replaced by something comforting. “You’re doing it.” He scooted a little closer but not enough to touch him. “Try to focus on how it feels, on the way your body is changing. Imprint that in your mind. Remember it. That’ll make it easier to shift in the future.”</p>
<p>Johnny almost wanted to shout at him to shut up. It hurt having his body break itself apart and rearrange itself. But a part of his brain reminded him that LaRusso was actually trying to help him. So, instead, he closed his eyes, putting all his focus into what was happening to his body. His heart beat fast, and his breath was just short pants. LaRusso said to breathe through the pain last time. Johnny took a deep breath and released it slowly. He repeated it, again and again, and it helped him focus better.</p>
<p>When it all stopped, Johnny flopped onto the floor with a loud exhale. He opened his eyes to find LaRusso kneeling over him. His smile was wide and bright, beaming with pride, and Johnny felt his stupid tail wag. What the hell?</p>
<p>“That was amazing, Johnny!” LaRusso sounded so proud of him, and damn it, his tail wagged again. But it made his chest swell a bit hearing the praise. “I’d ask what triggered your anger there, but you can’t really speak like this.” He laughed, maybe only a little awkwardly, as he sat back on his heels.</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“You’re probably a little hungry now, huh?”</p>
<p>Johnny lifted his head. His stomach rumbled its agreement. He was <i>hungry</i>. But there wasn’t some bloodlust driving him to attack everything and anything. It was just that usual kind of hunger, like when he worked all day without taking a break for lunch, and by the time he could grab some food, he was starving.</p>
<p>“Hm.” LaRusso pursed his mouth in thought. “You don’t have anything in your fridge, apparently.” He stood up after another minute. “Want to try hunting? I could drive you out to Coyote Creek. That’ll give you the chance to run around a bit too.”</p>
<p>The wolf part of his brain agreed to that. Johnny jumped to his feet and darted over to the door. LaRusso chuckled at the response, and Johnny felt a flush of embarrassment. LaRusso better not think of trying to make him do tricks! When LaRusso opened the door, Johnny pushed past him, the night air feeling good. He trotted along after LaRusso to his car and hopped into the passenger’s seat after LaRusso opened the door for him.</p>
<p>Five minutes later, they were on the road. LaRusso fiddled with the radio to find a decent channel to settle on. Johnny growled when he paused briefly on some station playing some boring folky type music. Eventually, he found a rock station playing hits from the 80s and left it there. They were cruising along when LaRusso rolled down the window on the passenger’s side. Johnny resisted for several minutes before temptation got the better of him. He stuck his head out. The wind whipped past him, and he had to admit, it actually felt pretty good. No wonder dogs liked doing this. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, and he placed his paws on the sill of the car window to stretch out a bit farther.</p>
<p>A snicker called his attention back into the car. Johnny twisted around, catching LaRusso biting his lip to keep from snickering again. Oh, he really was an asshole! Johnny climbed over the center console and stuck his wet nose into the crook of LaRusso’s neck, snuffling at the warm tanned skin.</p>
<p>“Hey!” LaRusso protested, but there was a hint of laughter in his voice as the car swerved. “Are you trying to make me crash?”</p>
<p>Johnny snorted his own laugh and settled back into the passenger’s seat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel parked the car when they reached Coyote Creek where he and Mr. Miyagi came a few times over the last year. There was a nice lake where Mr. Miyagi liked to fish, and he trained Daniel, teaching him some new techniques. Daniel glanced over to his side as he rolled up the window. Johnny sat in the passenger’s seat, and every once in a while, during the drive, he stuck his head out the window to enjoy the wind rushing past him. Daniel smiled to himself at the memory. Then he shut off the engine and pushed open the door. As soon as he was out of the car, Johnny impatiently climbed over the center console and jumped out to join him. Daniel managed only a short laugh as he closed the door.</p>
<p>“Go on,” Daniel encouraged, gesturing to the woods when Johnny stood there staring up at him. “I won’t be able to keep up with you. But you should get out there and stretch your legs.”</p>
<p>That seemed to be enough because Johnny darted off in the next second, a blur of white rushing between the trees. Daniel laughed, shaking his head as Johnny disappeared into the dark forest. He tilted his head back and stared up at the moon. It was waning, and in a little over a week, it would be the new moon. On the full moon, werewolves were at the height of their power. The opposite was true for the new moon. Their power was at its lowest, and their senses dulled. Daniel chewed on his lip. He would have to warn Johnny about that later. He didn’t want Johnny to be caught off guard, especially with Hunters targeting him for some mystery person.</p>
<p>Leaning back on the hood of his car, Daniel checked the time on his watch. It was getting close to eleven now. The drive back would take a half hour without heavy traffic. He didn’t want to stay out too late, but it was good for Johnny to have the time to run around and get used to his wolf body. Maybe he should have brought something to read while he waited for Johnny to return.</p>
<p>“I guess doing a bit of practicing myself can’t hurt.” And out here, Daniel didn’t have to worry about being overwhelmed by other people’s emotions. Letting out a breath, he gradually dropped his guards. He focused, and it was easier this time. He knew Johnny’s emotional signature better now, and without interference of other people, it didn’t take him long to find him. A smile tugged at his mouth. Johnny’s thrill of happiness as he raced around the woods was warm, a much better feeling than the cold anger Daniel expected from him. He hoped Johnny would feel like that more around him.</p>
<p>Daniel ducked his head, despite being alone, as he rubbed the back of his neck. Things were… okay between them right now. It was still a shock that Johnny offered to let him stay with him, even more a shock when Johnny mentioned the whole pack mate thing. The thought still produced a spark of something in his chest. Daniel shook that thought from his mind. Johnny was really impressing him. After he got over his whole denial thing, that was. Daniel expected it to take a lot longer for Johnny to shift for the first time outside of the influence of a full moon. He rolled his lower lip between his teeth, wondering what exactly triggered it. But he wouldn’t be able to get that answer until after Johnny shifted back.</p>
<p>Daniel turned his attention back to Johnny, searching for him again. Johnny was still running around, enjoying himself. It was good that he was adjusting well to being a wolf. Accepting the wolf part of him made everything easier in the end. Daniel frowned as he remembered one teen who was bit. It was a similar case to Johnny. The Alpha was a rogue, and the boy didn’t ask for the bite. The boy took the wolf in him to be a monster, even when they all tried to explain that wasn’t true. Not being able to accept the wolf broke the teen’s psyche, and the split caused the wolf side to take over. He became rageful, trapped in his wolf body, and attacked people. Daniel could still remember the sight of him later, shot up and bleeding black from his wounds and his mouth.</p>
<p>Daniel kept a close ear out for anything that sounded like firearms. The night was silent. He relaxed as he checked the time again. It was a little past eleven now.</p>
<p>Then a feeling tickled at the back of his head. It wasn’t an emotion. He was alone, aside from Johnny off in the woods. But the tickle made his stomach twist uncomfortably. He swallowed as he flicked his gaze around the little lot. It was only his car and one other. He hadn’t noticed the second car when he drove up and parked. It was black and tucked away in the far corner.</p>
<p>Daniel pushed off the hood of his car then slowly approached the other car. He couldn’t see anyone in the car. If someone was there, he would be able to sense their emotions with his guards currently down, whether the person was in the car or somewhere in the woods. He felt no one else around. But there was something here. He was sure of it. He could feel the certainty of it deep in his bones. When he neared the car, he noticed the trunk wasn’t fully shut. He stood still, his heart beating faster. His tongue quickly swiped over his lips. He reached out with sweaty hands and grabbed hold of the trunk hood.</p>
<p><i>Don’t open it</i>, a part of his brain told him. <i>Don’t look</i>.</p>
<p>But Daniel was always bad about ignoring his curiosity. He lifted the hood of the trunk then immediately wished he listened to his brain. His heart stuttered as he stumbled back from the car. He couldn’t take his wide eyes away from the body stuffed into the trunk, her legs shoved up against her chest. Her face was pressed into the bottom of the trunk, and maybe not seeing what expression was frozen there was a blessing. But the way her head was turned exposed her throat. Deep punctures were torn into her neck, almost hidden by on the blood splashed over her pale skin. Daniel gasped, his breath only short pants.</p>
<p>
  <i>No, no, no, no, no!</i>
</p>
<p>But Chozen warned him, and Daniel already sensed his presence, far too close. Part of him wanted to believe so badly that if he ignored it, then it wouldn’t be real. Slowly, he sank down into a crouch, digging his fingers into his hair. He couldn’t get his breathing to even out, no matter how much he tried to repeat Mr. Miyagi’s breathing lessons. In fact, his breath only seemed to grow shorter. He screwed his eyes shut, but the image of the woman in the trunk remained burned into his mind. He could almost hear Silver’s mocking laughter as he whispered, “You’re next,” into his ear. A promise of his death. But it wouldn’t be swift. No, it would be slow. Torturous. Never ending. Silver would make him suffer for eternity, and he would have no way of breaking free. It made his skin crawl as a shiver ran up his spine.</p>
<p>Silver was too close, and it terrified him. Daniel might have claimed he was sick of running, that he didn’t care if Silver killed him, but he didn’t <i>really</i> want to die. And there was Johnny to consider. Johnny needed his help. Johnny seemed to want to include him in his pack. And god, did Daniel want that too! He wanted someplace where he finally belonged. He couldn’t even remember what that felt like, but he knew he could find it with Johnny. Something inside him was just screaming that he needed to be in Johnny’s pack. But with Silver coming for him, Daniel feared it would all be ripped away from him before he even had it.</p>
<p>Footsteps pounded against the pavement, but Daniel barely registered any sound other than the rapid beats of his heart. Arms encircled him, ripping a scream from him. He lashed out blindly. The only thought flashing in his mind was that Silver had found him. Hands caught hold of his wrists as he flailed, but his attempts became useless when his arms were crossed over his chest and held there firmly, the grip too strong for him to break free.</p>
<p>“Shh! It’s okay,” the person whispered into his ear as he was drawn back against a firm chest. “You’re okay.”</p>
<p>Daniel opened his mouth but choked on any words he tried to get out.</p>
<p>“Come on, LaRusso. You gotta calm down.” Warm breath washed over his ear, his cheek, a little down his neck. “Just breathe through it. Isn’t that what you told me to do? Shit! I don’t know how this feeling thing works for you. I’m trying to stay calm too.”</p>
<p>A shaky laugh escaped him as Daniel let his eyes flutter shut. It was strange, but under all the panic coursing through him, a calmness snaked its way in. Daniel grabbed onto that and focused on it like it was his only lifeline. He gasped in a breath, then another, and slowly he was able to take deeper breaths until it evened out to something normal.</p>
<p>“There you go.” The hands let go of his wrists, moving to rub up and down in his arms in a soothing rhythm. “I smell blood. Are you hurt?”</p>
<p>“Don’t look, Johnny.”</p>
<p>His head turned, and Daniel knew immediately that Johnny noticed the car with the trunk still open. Johnny rose to his feet. Daniel froze, watching as if in slow motion as Johnny walked around him and toward the car. He wanted to shout out, stop Johnny from looking in the trunk, but he remained rooted to the spot. Johnny stood over the car, and Daniel trained his gaze on the back of his blond head.</p>
<p>“Fuck,” Johnny muttered. “Was the trunk already open?”</p>
<p>The question finally snapped him out of his stupor. Daniel got to his feet, swallowing thickly. He tried a few times then shook his head. “No. I mean, it was open enough that it wasn’t locked, but I had to lift the hood to see, um, to see it.” When Johnny turned around, Daniel kept his gaze locked with his.</p>
<p>Johnny walked back over to him then tugged at the sleeves of his hoodie. “I need this.”</p>
<p>Daniel shrugged out of the hoodie and handed it over. His brow furrowed as he watched Johnny return to the car then start rubbing the trunk hood with the hoodie. “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>Johnny was silent as he finished what he was doing. “You touched it. I’m getting rid of the fingerprints.”</p>
<p>Daniel’s eyes widened. “You don’t think-”</p>
<p>“I know you wouldn’t fucking kill someone, LaRusso!” Johnny slammed the trunk shut with a loud bang. Then he spun around and stomped back over to him. “But that’s not going to stop the police from thinking you’re involved when they dust the car and find your prints on it. Was that the only place you touched?”</p>
<p>Daniel stood stunned but nodded his head. “Uh, no, just – just lifted the hood.” His gaze flicked past Johnny to the car. Even with the trunk shut, he could still see the woman’s body clearly.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Johnny snapped Daniel’s attention back to him. “Someone will come by, and they’ll find her body. But I’m thinking it’s probably better if we don’t get involved in that. If we were to call the police right now, what would you tell them? You just happened to come out here, at practically midnight, so your werewolf buddy could run around in the woods? Even leaving out the whole werewolf thing, it would sound suspicious as hell that you came out here late at night and just happened upon a dead body.”</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah.” Daniel nodded jerkily. He knew Johnny had a point, but he felt guilty about just leaving the poor woman’s body there.</p>
<p>“She’ll be found,” Johnny said firmly. “We both know they’ll never find who killed her, but at least they’ll be able to tell her family and friends what happened. She won’t be some missing person that’s never found, leaving the people who care about her left wondering what happened to her.”</p>
<p>Daniel relaxed. “I hate this,” he muttered, dragging a hand through his hair. It wasn’t his first time finding a body, but it never got easier.</p>
<p>Johnny turned him around and kept his hands on Daniel’s shoulders as he pushed him toward his car. “We should go.”</p>
<p>When they reached the car, Daniel opened the passenger’s side door. A thought hit him so hard it felt like someone physically punched him in the back of his head. He twisted around fast as Johnny dropped to his hands and knees, letting out a painful shout. His eyes widened, even though this wasn’t his first time seeing Johnny shift to his wolf body. He didn’t expect it, and he wondered again what Johnny was thinking about to trigger the shift. But shifting twice in one night like that, especially when he was still so new to being a werewolf, Johnny was going to be starving after this. Hopefully, something would be open, and he could grab some food for him.</p>
<p>When he finished the shift, Johnny darted past Daniel and jumped into the passenger’s seat. Daniel stared at him for a brief moment then shook his head.</p>
<p>“Keep this up, and you won’t need my help at all.” Daniel laughed with a soft smile, but a voice in his head wondered what use he would be to the pack after Johnny had all the werewolf knowledge he needed. Closing the door, he walked around and climbed into the driver’s seat. He tossed a glance back to the other car, and dread weighted him down. How much time did he have left before Silver tracked him down?</p>
<p>A low growl came from beside him, and Daniel snapped his head around to Johnny. Glowing blue eyes bored into him. Johnny didn’t need the ability to speak to get his message across. He could read Daniel’s emotions based on the smells coming off him, and he clearly didn’t like what he was picking up.</p>
<p>“I bet you’re pretty hungry.” Daniel started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. “We can pick something up on the way back.” He kept his eyes on the road, staying silent as he drove and looked for anyplace still open.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny’s mind raced with questions. He was still adjusting to the fact that he was a freaking werewolf. Even after LaRusso said there were other things out there, Johnny didn’t quite believe any of that other stuff existed. It was hard readjusting his brain from what he had always believed to be true. Supernatural creatures simply just weren’t supposed to be real. But he was a werewolf. Amanda was an emissary. And LaRusso could read people’s emotions. His world was flipped over, and he was still trying to find which was up.</p>
<p>Now vampires were a thing. Johnny didn’t need LaRusso to explain what happened to the woman in the trunk of that car. Even he knew what that bite on her neck meant, though he wouldn’t put it past the police to come up with some other explanation for why the woman was drained of her blood. Vampires wouldn’t even enter the police’s mind as a possibility. Up until a little while ago, Johnny would be right there with them, but he couldn’t deny the reality of what he saw. Not now that he knew the impossible was real.</p>
<p>Johnny stared out the window, waiting for LaRusso to return after he parked at a Denny’s and disappeared inside to order some food to go. LaRusso was right about that. Johnny’s stomach grumbled in anticipation of food. He almost lost his appetite when he remembered being seconds away from chomping down on a rabbit before LaRusso’s panic reached him. The sour note of that panic lingered in the car even after LaRusso left. Finding a body like that would freak out anyone. Even Johnny was freaked out by it. But he tried to keep his mind calm and focused for LaRusso’s sake. Still, Johnny couldn’t help thinking there was more to LaRusso’s reaction. He remembered when Amanda mentioned vampires in regards to the wards for his apartment. He smelled a spike of fear from LaRusso.</p>
<p>A few minutes later, LaRusso exited the Denny’s with a bag hanging from the crook of one arm. He slid into the driver’s seat, leaning over to place the bag on the floor on the passenger’s side. Johnny took that moment to sniff at him, as subtly as he could. The sourness was so faint, he almost missed it. He decided to take it as a good sign that it wasn’t so overwhelmingly strong anymore. LaRusso sat up straight again then they were back on the road, heading for their apartment. Johnny’s eyes darted to LaRusso. Their apartment. It was strange to think of it like that. LaRusso hadn’t even been there for a day yet.</p>
<p>The rest of the drive was as silent as before they reached the Denny’s. Johnny shoved down the desire to growl. He never imagined he would actually miss LaRusso’s big mouth and inability to shut up. But something just felt wrong about a quiet LaRusso. It simply wasn’t natural. It was like seeing that body had ripped away a part of his being, his eyes held a little less of their usual warmth and light. A low rumble escaped Johnny at that thought. He was going to find out what happened with LaRusso, though he already hated it.</p>
<p>Finally, LaRusso parked at the complex. Most of the apartments were dark, unsurprising since it was past midnight now. LaRusso grabbed their food and climbed out of the car. Johnny didn’t wait this time either and immediately darted out the driver’s side door once LaRusso was clear of it. He raced toward their apartment, ready to get back to being his normal human self again. Being a wolf wasn’t bad, but it was still a strange feeling for him. And he had questions! Maybe LaRusso sensed that, because he took his sweet time making his way over to unlock the apartment door.</p>
<p>Johnny squeezed through once the door was opened enough and hurried toward the bedroom. He vaguely noted the shredded remains of his clothes lying on the floor as he passed them. He would need to be far more careful about shifting in the future. He couldn’t afford to destroy all his clothes.</p>
<p>It was a lot easier at the forest to shift back to human. He did his best to recall that feeling, but it happened so fast and his focus was getting to LaRusso and doing whatever he could to help calm him. Johnny breathed and focused, picturing himself as a human. He grimaced as bone and muscle shifted. White fur melted away to flesh. He panted from exertion when he was finally back to normal. Grabbing a pair of sweatpants, he quickly tugged then on as he made his way out of the bedroom. His stomach growled when he found LaRusso at the kitchen counter, pulling out the packaged food from the bag. LaRusso lifted his head when Johnny approached.</p>
<p>“I guess you’re really getting the hang of shifting.” LaRusso bit at the corner of his mouth as he pushed two double patty burgers toward Johnny. “You’re going to get hungry a lot afterward, since the shift takes a lot of energy, and you need food to refuel. Healing has the same kind of effect.”</p>
<p>“Great,” Johnny grumbled, ripping the wrapper off one of the burgers. “I get to waste more of my paycheck on food because of this.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” LaRusso mumbled as he dropped his gaze. His hands fidgeted for a moment before he snatched up a fry and stuffed it in his mouth. “But you could always catch something out in the woods.” He grinned when Johnny made a face at him. The idea of hunting and eating some little rabbit, or maybe even a deer, still didn’t settle well with the human aspect of his mind. The wolf side was more than happy to do so. “So, uh, what triggered the shifts for you?”</p>
<p>Johnny stared at the curious gleam in LaRusso’s eyes as he chewed on his mouthful of the burger. After he swallowed, his tongue swiped over his lips to catch any sauce that ended up on them. “That first time, I was thinking about how pissed off that fucking Hunter made me.” Some of the anger thrummed through him, and he felt his eyes flash. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he focused to calm that anger. “For the second time, it was thinking about that sick fuck that stuffed that poor girl in the trunk.”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded, sneaking another fry while Johnny finished his first burger. “And just now? What were you thinking to stop the anger? Was that your anchor?” His eyebrows lifted, and the slight scent of amazement wafted through the air.</p>
<p>Johnny hid a smirk as he stuffed some fries into his mouth. He never thought LaRusso would actually be impressed by him, or that it would fill him with a sense of pride. Swallowing the fries, he rolled his shoulder. “Music, I guess. It’s always kind of been the thing I used to distract myself from things.” Like when his mother would argue with Sid.</p>
<p>“You really pick things up fast.”</p>
<p>“Guess it helps having a good teacher.” Johnny curled his mouth up in a half smirk, noting the darkening color blooming on LaRusso’s cheeks. He unwrapped the second burger. LaRusso wasn’t kidding about the shifts making him hungry. Two burgers and some fries might not be enough to satisfy him. He lifted his gaze back to LaRusso, who kept sneaking fries here and there. “So, what the hell was that back there?”</p>
<p>LaRusso blinked as his body tensed. A sourness tinged the air, and Johnny forced back the urge to growl in response. “I mean,” LaRusso swallowed, “it was a dead body. Who wouldn’t freak out?”</p>
<p>Johnny shot him a bland glare. “I don’t need werewolf senses to tell me you’re not telling me everything. You have these damn nightmares. And the way you reacted to the body wasn’t just because she was dead. I’m betting it’s more about what killed her.” He tilted his head, mouth drawing thin as he watched LaRusso, listening to the slight increase in his heartbeat. “I don’t get it.” He shook his head. “You have no issues dealing with me, a werewolf, and you threw yourself into fighting that Hunter like it was nothing. But a vampire has you freaking out? Can’t you just, I don’t know, jam a bit of wood into its heart and it’s dust?”</p>
<p>The color drained from LaRusso’s face. The fry held between his fingers was nothing but a mashed mess. “It – It’s not just that it’s a vampire.” LaRusso’s voice was so soft Johnny would have missed it without his werewolf hearing. His heart was thundering in his chest. “I’ve met vampires before.” He swallowed, licking nervous lips. “It’s this one vampire.”</p>
<p>Johnny lowered the burger away from his mouth. “Why this one?”</p>
<p>LaRusso’s gaze slid away from him. Between the loudness of his heart and sourness of his fear and panic, Johnny felt too nauseous to eat. LaRusso stayed silent, but he couldn’t sit still. His hands abandoned the mashed up fry and instead reached for the napkins that came in the bag with their food and started tearing one of them to pieces. Just what the hell happened to him?</p>
<p>“LaRusso!” Johnny’s sharp bark snapped LaRusso’s attention back to him with a startled jump. He sighed, grabbing hold of LaRusso’s hands to still them. “You want to keep me safe from the Hunters. Let me try to help keep you safe from this vampire. We’re pack, yeah?” Johnny watched as some of the tension melted out of LaRusso, who nodded. “Then shouldn’t you tell me what happened? So I can help you?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shifted, hesitant as he dropped his gaze to their hands. He swallowed, and it was obvious he was struggling with his words. “At the end of summer after graduating, Mr. Miyagi and I came back from Okinawa. I was supposed to sign up for college courses, but I had this brilliant idea of helping Mr. Miyagi with his dream of opening a bonsai shop.”</p>
<p>“Those little tree things?” Johnny arched an eyebrow, trying to imagine a shop like that succeeding. He doubted many people were interested in bonsai trees, or having to maintain them. Somehow, it didn’t surprise him that LaRusso had a passion for them. He always caught that earthy smell mixed with pine around him.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” LaRusso frowned a bit as he nodded. “Anyway, around that time, I also got a notice about the ’85 tournament. They wanted the reigning champion to come back to defend his title.”</p>
<p>Johnny narrowed his eyes. He bit his tongue before he could let slip a comment about the illegal kick. He got away with a few illegal moves himself. But the loss still left little a bitterness in him. His teeth ground, sharpening, as his eyes flashed. How many times did he suffer a nightmare about Kreese’s arm squeezing around his throat?</p>
<p>“J-Johnny?”</p>
<p>The nervous voice brought Johnny out of his memories as he stared at LaRusso. He took a breath, humming a song in his mind to drive away the burst of anger. “Sorry,” he murmured.</p>
<p>LaRusso shook his head. “I guess I shouldn’t bring up the tournament. Bit of a sore spot between us, huh?” He grimaced.</p>
<p>“Not because of you,” Johnny assured him quickly, and he wasn’t lying about that, he realized. “You’re not the one who tried to choke me out just because I came in second place.”</p>
<p>LaRusso turned his hands over so he could squeeze his hands, and Johnny wondered what emotions he was picking up from him. “I was glad we fought in that round.” He met Johnny’s eyes, his heartbeat a steady calm. “When I stepped back out on the mat, it wasn’t about winning for me. I just wanted you to see that I could stand on equal ground with you. I never thought that beating you would – That your sensei would do something like that.”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned, regret and guilt settling on him like a cold, heavy weight. “If you had lost, Kreese would have ordered us to come after you every day until graduation. I don’t know if I would have been strong enough to see what sick fuck he is if you hadn’t kicked me in the head.”</p>
<p>LaRusso bit his lip, his mouth attempting to grin despite his best efforts. “So, I kicked some sense into you?”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed a laugh. “Yeah, maybe.” It was a nice moment, both of them calm and relaxed, but he knew it would break all too soon. And he would be the one to break it. “What happened in the ’85 tournament?”</p>
<p>LaRusso took a shaky breath as he squeezed Johnny’s hands again. “To start with, Mr. Miyagi didn’t want me fighting in the tournament. I didn’t really get it at first. But for him, karate isn’t supposed to be about trophies and all that stuff.”</p>
<p>Johnny’s mouth pursed. He didn’t get it either, but he was trained by psycho who didn’t believe defeat was an option and drilled that into his skull. His opinion might be a bit skewed, but he also didn’t see what was wrong with going up against opponents to test his abilities. He wouldn’t have gotten strong as a fighter if he trained with only his sensei. He learned better how to adjust his fighting on the fly by having several opponents who had different styles of fighting and different tells to give away their attacks. Mr. Miyagi might be right that the trophy didn’t matter in the end, but Johnny believed the experience was important.</p>
<p>“Did you fight?”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded slowly. “I was harassed into signing up for it.”</p>
<p>“Harassed?” Johnny shouted, his eyes bulging. “What the hell does that mean?”</p>
<p>LaRusso sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I thought about Mr. Miyagi’s words and eventually agreed that I shouldn’t participate in the tournament. Well,” he laughed bitterly, “someone wanted to be sure I was in it. They sent their attack dog after me until I was pushed into agreeing to sign up. I thought you and your friends chasing me off my bike down a ravine was bad? Trying hanging off a cliff with the threat of being dropped if he decided to let go of the rope.”</p>
<p>“Fuck!” Johnny wished he heard some jump in LaRusso’s heart to prove his words were a lie. He did some messed up shit to him in high school. But that? He shook his head, focusing on a song in his head before the anger could spill over.</p>
<p>“Right. So, I’m stuck having to be in the tournament now, and Mr. Miyagi won’t train me. And of course, the dude who swoops in to save me, offers to train me, is actually the guy pulling on the strings in all of this.”</p>
<p>Johnny wanted to growl Kreese’s name, but he stopped himself. LaRusso would never see Kreese as some kind of savior in a situation like that. LaRusso would never trust Kreese for any reason. He narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out this mystery man, but he couldn’t. He had no idea who would orchestrate this whole thing. And for what reason? Besides Kreese, who would have it out for LaRusso? And why was the tournament so important?</p>
<p>“Terry Silver wanted to make be bleed, make me suffer, all for Kreese,” LaRusso explained, his voice thick with bitterness. “And he did break me with his training. For a while, he had me turning into someone else entirely. He filled me with anger and made me want to hurt people. I guess that’s what Cobra Kai was all about. Taking kids and breaking them, twisting them into something ugly.”</p>
<p>Johnny squeezed LaRusso’s hands because he knew exactly what the Cobra Kai mentality did to someone. And knowing that same training was used on LaRusso pissed him off. “What does this tournament have to do with the vampire though?”</p>
<p>“Terry Silver,” LaRusso closed his eyes briefly before opening them to lock onto Johnny’s gaze, “is the vampire.” Then he shook his head. “But I didn’t know that until after the tournament. I won, you know.” There was no sense of victory in his voice. “It went into overtime, and I was scared, but Mr. Miyagi reminded me I shouldn’t lose to fear. I haven’t been following that very well lately. But it got me through the tournament. I got the winning point. That’s when it happened.” His mouth stretched wide, that kind of smile Johnny knew from moments of triumph with a crowd cheering at his victory. “It was kind of amazing, you know. I could feel it. All their happiness rushing over me as they screamed and applauded. And piercing through all of that, I could feel Mr. Miyagi’s pride in me. That made me so happy. That’s all I wanted, to make him proud.”</p>
<p>“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Johnny’s brow knitted. His throat tightened, like he knew the worst was about to come.</p>
<p>“Oh, it was great.” LaRusso smiled, but it faltered. “For a moment. Then I felt the murderous rage practically stabbing into the back of my skull. I didn’t even have to look to know who that was coming from. Obviously, it was Kreese, and probably Mike Barnes too. But mostly Kreese. Then,” his eyes darkened, the life seeming to fade from their usual warm brown, “nothing.”</p>
<p>“Nothing?”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded. “A great nothingness. It drove out all the other emotions until I felt empty inside. It scared me. The second I was able to, I ran for the locker room to change into my normal clothes so I could get the hell out of there as fast as possible. I didn’t know what the hell that was, but I had to get away from it. I barely finished shoving my gi back into my bag when Silver showed up.” He shuddered, closing his eyes. “His smile is the creepiest thing ever. I tried to get away, fight my way past him, but I was exhausted and beaten from the tournament. He got me pinned up against the wall. And I,” he swallowed, “I couldn’t look away. He said something, but I couldn’t hear anything anymore at that point. Everything was getting dark. It was almost a week before I woke up.”</p>
<p>Johnny sat up, ramrod straight, his eyes growing impossibly wide. “<i>He’s</i> why you have <i>those</i> freaking nightmares?”</p>
<p>LaRusso bobbed his head jerkily. “I don’t know what he did to me, but,” he tore one hand free and wiped at his eye as a tear slipped down his cheek, “anytime he gets near me, I just shut down. Like my mind gets trapped in that sensory deprivation tank nightmare. And now he’s here.”</p>
<p>“He’s not getting you!” Johnny growled in fierce determination. LaRusso was pack, and he wasn’t going to let some sicko vampire harm him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel felt rather ridiculous crying in front of Johnny. How pathetic could he get? But after reliving the whole ordeal while he told the tale, it all hit him so hard and suddenly that he couldn’t stop the tear from escaping. He kept expecting Johnny to make some comment, mock him for being weak or a pussy or something. Real men don’t cry, or some other macho bullshit. But that growled declaration caught him off guard. Johnny’s protectiveness washed over him through their still held hands. It might have left him a little dizzy with his shock. Johnny Lawrence? Protective of him? He never would have believed it possible.</p>
<p>Daniel could almost believe Johnny would keep him safe from Silver.</p>
<p>His smile was short lived, though, when Daniel noticed the flickering of Johnny’s eyes from normal blue to glowing blue. Anger clouded everything, and he almost yanked his hand away to cut off the emotional connection. Johnny’s lip drew back in a snarl, revealing sharpened teeth. Dread dropped into his gut. His mouth ran dry. Johnny was losing control.</p>
<p>“Johnny, hey,” Daniel said tentatively, lightly squeezing his hand. “Focus on your anchor. Don’t let your anger get the better of you.”</p>
<p>Johnny snapped his eyes up with a deep growl.</p>
<p>Sharp nails dug into the back of his hand. Daniel winced, failing to hold back a little gasp. The grip on his hand became painful. “Johnny!” he snapped, putting as much force into his voice as he could. “I’m right here. I’m fine. You don’t have to be angry. What happened in the past is done.” He brought their hands up, bowing his head to press his forehead to the back of Johnny’s hand. He tried to send calming vibes to him. “I know you’ll keep me safe. Because we’re pack. Pack keeps each other safe.”</p>
<p>The growling kept emanating from Johnny, filling the quiet spaces of the apartment. His breath was harsh pants. Then he screwed his eyes shut. After a few minutes, the tension in his muscles relaxed, and his breathing evened out. When he opened his eyes again, they were back to normal. The growling stopped. Johnny lifted his gaze then jerked his hand away. Daniel released a hiss, turning his hand over to check the damage. Little bloody crescents marked the back of his hand.</p>
<p>“Oh god-”</p>
<p>“Do not start feeling guilty!” Daniel warned with a stern frown as he held up a finger in Johnny’s face. It didn’t stop the guilt from showing in Johnny’s eyes as he stared at the blood. “It’s not that bad. It’ll heal.”</p>
<p>Johnny raked a hand through his hair, mussing up the blond locks. “I keep hurting you!” He looked ready to punch something in his frustration. “How can I call you pack when I keep doing stuff to hurt you?”</p>
<p>Daniel walked around the kitchen counter then grabbed hold of Johnny’s shoulders. “Look at me.” He waited until those blue eyes met his again. “I’m fine. You’re still learning to keep control, and I know it’s difficult. And you’re doing a really amazing job so far. If you hurt me a little during this, it’s fine. I would rather be the one getting hurt than see you lose control and hurt some random innocent person. A couple of bruises, a few cuts. I’ve had worse. A lot worse.”</p>
<p>Johnny dropped his gaze, his eyes drawn like a magnet to Daniel’s left knee. “That doesn’t make it better.”</p>
<p>“But I know you weren’t intending on hurting me now. This,” Daniel drew a hand away and waved it at his throat, “you weren’t even conscious of your actions at the time. And my arms? You weren’t used to your new strength as a werewolf. I’m not mad at you for any of that. So, please don’t feel guilty. I want to be here to help you through this.”</p>
<p>“Damn it, LaRusso,” Johnny muttered, shaking his head. “Can’t you get pissed off or something? Where’s that loud mouthed little shit?”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed. “Oh, I can be a loud mouthed little shit if that’s what you really want. But I’m serious, Johnny. I don’t want you feeling guilty about hurting me. Now, or then. I’m not mad about what happened between us at the tournament.”</p>
<p>Johnny lifted his head and stared at him for a long time. “I’m sorry. About the knee. I should have said that after the tournament, but I was too much of a coward to say anything to you.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t call you a coward.” Daniel rolled his eyes. “Usually, I just call you an ass.” He laughed as he jumped back to avoid getting smacked. “See? I’m still a little shit.” He grinned widely.</p>
<p>“Yeah, yeah.” Johnny huffed, but there was a hint of amusement in it. “God, it’s late.” He rubbed at his eyes. “And I have to go to work in the morning. If this client is anything like the last one, then she’ll be an annoying woman that wears way too much perfume. I really hate this werewolf smelling thing sometimes.”</p>
<p>Daniel grimaced. “Yeah, I can imagine how horrible that must be. It’s one of the reasons I always try to use stuff that isn’t too heavy in perfume smells. I’ve been around enough werewolves before.” He glanced over at the clock on the microwave and had to stifle a yawn. “I guess we should head to bed.”</p>
<p>“You can use the bathroom first.” Johnny waved a hand over his shoulder in the general direction of the bathroom. “I think I’ll finish up this burger.” He picked it up and took a large bite out of it.</p>
<p>Daniel’s mouth twitched, but he wasn’t surprised Johnny was still hungry. He walked over to his bags and grabbed what he needed, including a few things out of his medical chest. Then he wandered down the hall to the bathroom. He started with washing away the blood from his hand. Johnny hadn’t cut too deeply, thankfully. He applied a little of the green salve over the cuts before he covered them with a bandage. Afterward, he ran his thumb lightly over the bandage, frowning as he stared down at it. He mulled over what happened moments ago. Did Johnny’s music anchor failed to reign in his anger?</p>
<p>Sighing, Daniel focused on getting ready for bed. Brushed his teeth, washed his face; then he changed into some comfy sweatpants and a loose tee. When he was done, he gathered up his things and opened the door. He almost jumped in surprise when he saw Johnny standing in front of him.</p>
<p>“Move it,” Johnny ordered with some urgency to his voice. “I gotta take a leak like you wouldn’t believe.”</p>
<p>Eyes widening, Daniel hurriedly moved aside, and Johnny rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He shook his head as he wandered back down the hall. After a year of living the single life, he forgot what it was like having a roommate. And only one bathroom. He stowed his items away until he got to his dirty clothes. He frowned at the clothes in his hands then to his duffle bags then glanced around the apartment. This was supposed to be his home now, but he still felt like he was just couch surfing until he could get another job that would allow him to move out on his own again. He folded up his clothes and left them on top of one duffle bag. Then he dropped down onto the couch with a tired sigh. The couch didn’t have a pillow or blanket for him. He drew his legs up, hugging his knees to his chest as his toes curled around the edge of the cushion.</p>
<p>The shower came on a moment later, and Daniel huffed out a breath. <i>I should have asked him for a pillow and blanket first</i>. He rested his head on his knees and closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the shower. He must have dozed off a bit, because the next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake. After an embarrassing jolt of surprise, he blinked and lifted his gaze. Johnny arched his eyebrow, standing with his hands on his hips. His gaze dipped, catching sight of a few drops of water sliding down the smooth planes of Johnny’s chest before he snapped his attention upward again. Johnny’s damp hair stuck up in places after being toweled off.</p>
<p>“What are you doing in here?” Johnny asked, frowning. “I thought you’d have gone to bed.”</p>
<p>Daniel leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Uh, you didn’t even leave a blanket for me.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t-” Johnny shook his head. “You weren’t really expecting to sleep on the couch, were you?”</p>
<p>“Are you telling me you have a second bed somewhere?” Daniel tilted his head with a slight furrow in his brow.</p>
<p>Johnny pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing out noisily. “No, of course, I don’t have a second bed. But I’m not dick enough to force you to sleep on a shitty, uncomfortable couch that’s just going to give you massive back pain in the end. And I know a lot about back pain.” His shoulder rose then dropped. “It’s not like we haven’t already shared the bed together.” He smirked, that same ridiculous half smirk that haunted Daniel’s dreams back in high school.</p>
<p>“Yeah, well, you were a wolf at the time.”</p>
<p>“What’s the matter?” The smirk stretched a bit wider as Johnny stepped closer, leaning over him. “Scared to share a bed with another guy?”</p>
<p>Daniel narrowed his eyes. It was a challenge. He stood up slowly as a slow smirk of his own spread onto his face. They were standing almost chest to chest. “You really think you would be the first guy I shared a bed with?” He almost didn’t manage to hold back a laugh at the flicker in Johnny’s eyes, the surprise playing out on his face before he could mask it again.</p>
<p>“Never would have imagined you were into that, LaRusso.” Johnny’s gaze flicked down then back up. “I guess we really didn’t know anything about each other. Outside of fighting. But,” he shifted, bringing himself slightly closer to Daniel, “there’s a lot you can learn about a guy from fighting.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Daniel lifted his eyebrows, still smirking though the closeness was making his throat run dry. “And what did you learn about me?”</p>
<p>“Other than you being a stubborn little shit?” Johnny let out a breathy huff of a laugh. “I know you always get back on your feet to keep fighting, even when a smarter person would know to give up.”</p>
<p>Daniel lowered his eyes to Johnny’s smirking mouth. “I get the feeling you’re not much different there.”</p>
<p>“I was taught not to accept defeat.” Johnny rolled a shoulder. “But I’ve learned a bit about accepting defeat from a worthy opponent.” He turned and walked away before Daniel could respond.</p>
<p>Daniel stood, staring dumbly where Johnny was only a moment ago. Did Johnny mean that he was a worthy opponent? He bit down hard on his lower lip, a warm feeling working its way into his chest. Then he shook his head and hurried to follow Johnny. A bed definitely sounded better than sleeping on the couch. He flipped off the lights before walking down the hall then into the bedroom. Johnny had already climbed into the bed when Daniel entered. After the lights were off, Daniel crawled under the covers on the other side of the bed. He curled up on his side with his back to Johnny. It felt a lot different than the last time, having Johnny laying just a couple inches away from him. Human Johnny, instead of a big white wolf. Daniel closed his eyes and tried not to think too much about it.</p>
<p>He didn’t need to try very hard. Soon after closing his eyes, Daniel was out for the night. It was late, but maybe it was the whole emotional unload of revealing what happened to him to Johnny that exhausted him. Whatever it was, he slept soundly, and any dreams he had, he couldn’t recall them in the morning.</p>
<p>Movement drew him closer to waking, but Daniel shifted closer to the middle of the bed, hugging his arms around his pillow. He refused to open his eyes.</p>
<p>“Too early,” Daniel grumbled. Now that he didn’t work at the country club, he didn’t have the excuse to wake up early. His shifts at the mini mart, picking up more hours now, didn’t start until the afternoon at the earliest, though today he only had the late shift.</p>
<p>“You can keep sleeping, but I have to get to work.” Johnny shuffled around the bedroom.</p>
<p>Daniel cracked an eye open as Johnny tugged a shirt on over his head. His gaze tracked the movement, lowering to the sweatpants riding low on Johnny’s hips. He screwed his eye shut and buried his face into the pillow before he embarrassed himself. Dumb werewolf senses. He drifted somewhere between sort of awake and kind of asleep.</p>
<p>When he woke fully sometime later, Daniel was alone in the bedroom. The other side of the bed was disappointingly cold. With a sigh, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He was really sharing an apartment, <i>a bed</i>, with Johnny Lawrence. It sounded like some absurd fever dream he would have denied with every fiber of his being back in high school. Boys didn’t dream about boys. He snorted a laugh, rolling his eyes. He certainly didn’t believe in that stupid line of thinking anymore. Sitting up, he stretched his arms over his head until he heard a grumble from his stomach. He groaned.</p>
<p>“And Johnny has no food. Ugh!” Daniel rubbed at his eyes. How did Johnny live with no food in his refrigerator? Whatever. A quick run to the store would remedy that little problem.</p>
<p>Daniel climbed out of bed, paused to think for a moment, then pulled the covers up to make the bed. He headed into the bathroom to take care of his morning business. After, yawning widely, he walked down the hall and over to where his bags were left. Before he could start digging around for something to wear, he noticed a note sitting on the table in front of the couch. A key sat on top of it. He picked up the note, the key hitting the table with a dull thump. Then he dropped onto the couch to read the note.</p>
<p>“Let’s see,” he murmured, gaze flicking over the chicken scratch that he wasn’t sure qualified as handwriting. “Forgot to give you a key before. Got work then meeting up with the band before the gig.” The time they would go on and the club where they were playing were written at the bottom. He leaned forward, picking up the key and holding it up before his face. “I guess this really makes it official.”</p>
<p>Daniel smiled. He couldn’t even name why he was happy. Both the key and note were placed back on the table. He hopped onto his feet and walked over to his duffle bags. After a bit of searching, he pulled out a plain white tee and blue plaid top to with a pair of jeans. He changed quickly and stuffed his feet into his shoes. Grabbing the key off the table, he added it to his key ring. He crammed his wallet into his pocket as he walked over to the door and yanked it open. He stopped short and blinked at the woman standing before him with her hand raised to knock.</p>
<p>“Um,” Daniel said, his eyes darting around, “hello?”</p>
<p>The blonde narrowed her eyes at him. “Who the hell are you?”</p>
<p>Daniel pulled the door closed behind him. He didn’t want to have to explain why this woman couldn’t enter the apartment. Would Johnny even want her to be allowed to enter? Could Daniel even invite her in? He didn’t know the rules of the wards too well. He lived in the apartment now, but the ability to invite people inside might only reside with Johnny. Maybe he should ask Amanda about the wards later.</p>
<p>“I guess you’re here to see Johnny. He already left for work.” Daniel shifted his weight. “I’m Daniel. His, uh, roommate.”</p>
<p>Her elegant eyebrow lifted as she glanced him over. “Daniel?” she repeated with a frown. “Wait.” Both eyebrows rose as she laughed. “As in <i>the</i> Daniel LaRusso?” Her laughter almost sounded like a cackle. “Oh, that’s too good! Johnny rooming with the guy that kicked him in the face and made him lose the dumb tournament. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard him bitch about that illegal kick.”</p>
<p>Daniel huffed, folding his arms as he leaned back against the door. “He wasn’t exactly innocent in the illegal moves department himself.”</p>
<p>She regarded him for a moment with a mild up curl of her mouth. “I’m Shannon. Johnny’s ex. And apparently, ex-bandmate now too.” Her mouth pursed unhappily. “I can’t believe he went and found himself another band.”</p>
<p>“Is,” Daniel hesitated, “that what you wanted to talk to him about?”</p>
<p>Shannon stiffened then looked away, rolling her lower lip between her teeth. “As mad as I was when I heard about it, no.” She shook her head. “I came for a different matter. Has he told you anything about me?”</p>
<p>“I’m afraid he hasn’t really told me anything about you.”</p>
<p>Shannon nodded, seeming to mull over whatever was on her mind.</p>
<p>“Um,” Daniel started, wishing this whole situation felt less awkward, “I know we don’t each other at all, and whatever it is, it’s probably something personal, so you certainly don’t have to share anything with me. But,” he hunched up his shoulders, “if you just need someone to lend you an ear, I can offer that much.”</p>
<p>Shannon stared at him for a good few minutes before she released a little laugh. “You’re not quite the jerk Johnny made you out to be, huh?” She smirked when Daniel frowned with a grumpy huff. “Well, you see,” she paused and considered for another minute, “I recently discovered I was pregnant.”</p>
<p>“Con-” Daniel caught himself, eying her warily. “Wait. Is this a congrats moment? Because if it’s something you’re not happy about, I don’t want to be rudely celebrating this news.”</p>
<p>Shannon shook her head with a hint of amusement in her eyes. “I would like to keep the baby. And before you ask, no, the baby isn’t Johnny’s.” She heaved a tired sigh. “Though I really wish it was. Maybe he’s not the greatest guy in the world, but at least I know him.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded slowly, wondering if that meant she didn’t know who the father actually was. It seemed rude to ask though. “Congrats, then! On the baby.”</p>
<p>Shannon smiled, a little, and Daniel wondered if he maybe should have just kept his big mouth shut. “I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday, and the whole thing kind of freaked me out. Johnny kept saying he would be there to help me out if I need it.”</p>
<p>Daniel lifted his eyebrows, his mouth dropping slightly open. It was a complete shock but also rather endearing. His gaze may have softened a little. “I’m afraid he probably won’t be home until late. I don’t really know where he’s working, and he has a gig tonight.”</p>
<p>Shannon nodded a few times then dug around in her purse. “When you see him, can you give him this?” She handed him a brochure, and Daniel lifted an eyebrow at her. “After talking with the doctor, I realized I need to make some big changes in my life if I want to take care of this baby. And,” her voice trembled slightly, “the first thing I need to do is get clean, so I’m leaving for this rehab center. I just came to let Johnny know.”</p>
<p>Daniel took the brochure, glancing it over. Then he nodded. “I’ll be sure to let him know.”</p>
<p>Shannon’s mouth twitched with a ghost of a smile. “Thanks. And, um, tell him I’m glad he found a better band. I mean, I was pissed when he first told me, but I think it’s actually better this way. I do want him to be happy.”</p>
<p>“Sure.” Daniel smiled. “I’ll tell him.” He waved to her as Shannon turned and walked away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny woke before the sun even fully rose. Sometime during the night, he had scooted his way closer to the center of the bed, and LaRusso had rolled over to face him. Johnny didn’t move right away. He stared at LaRusso sleeping deeply with his mouth slightly parted. His dark hair flopped down into his eyes, mussed from his sleeping. His heart had a calm, steady beat, and nothing tainted his scent. It was a peaceful slumber, and Johnny relaxed at that knowledge.</p>
<p>After a few more minutes of just watching LaRusso, Johnny decided, with a sigh, he should probably get up already. He climbed out of bed. When he heard a grumble, he turned back to see LaRusso snuggling into his pillow. He smirked at that reaction.</p>
<p>“You can keep sleeping, but I have to get to work.” Johnny got dressed for work and, with a last glance back, left the bedroom. He washed up quickly in the bathroom then headed to the kitchen. After opening the refrigerator door, he remembered there wasn’t anything to eat in there and let the door fall closed. He would just grab something on the way to work.</p>
<p>Johnny grabbed his keys and stopped before he could turn to leave. Right. LaRusso mentioned going out to buy them some food. Johnny had gotten a second key made up for him already. Grabbing a pad of paper and pen, he quickly jotted down a note for LaRusso. After a bit of thinking, he added the address of the club where their gig was, and the time they were supposed to play. Then he left the note on the table in front of the couch and placed the key on top of it.</p>
<p>He could leave right then, but he didn’t. Johnny’s gaze turned to the boxes still sitting next to the door. After everything that happened last night, LaRusso didn’t have the chance to really settle into the apartment. Johnny tossed a glance back to the hall leading to his bedroom. Then he walked over to the boxes and crouched down to sort through the notebooks. There were tons of them, and he didn’t have a lot of time to look at all of them. He quickly tossed back any he found written in Japanese. Those would be useless to him. When he found ones written in English, he flicked through them, scanning swiftly for any mention of vampires. He found two notebooks before deciding he really needed to leave so he wouldn’t get yelled at for being late.</p>
<p>When he reached his car, Johnny tossed the notebooks into the trunk and placed his guitar case in carefully then climbed into the driver’s seat. Reading through LaRusso’s notes sounded better than the obnoxious work he would have to do once he arrived at his current client’s house. He stopped at the drive-thru of a McDonald’s and picked up an egg McMuffin with a hot coffee. He practically inhaled his breakfast as he drove, and regretted not buying a second. The coffee he drank at a slower pace, to avoid burning his tongue, but it helped wake him up a bit more.</p>
<p>Johnny pulled into the long driveway and parked his car. He took a moment to prepare himself, already dreading the assault his nose was sure to experience. Sighing heavily, he climbed out of his car and walked up to the front door. When the door open, Mrs. Swanson smiled at him. Her dark hair fell in tight curls to her shoulders. Only a light amount of makeup was applied to her deep brown cheeks. When he breathed in, Johnny couldn’t smell anything too strong or offensive.</p>
<p>“You’re right on time. The last handyman we hired was always late.” She shook her head, frowning in disapproval at the tardiness. Johnny made a mental note not to be late, though he tried to always be relatively on time. “Come on in, and we can get started.”</p>
<p>Johnny followed her into the house. He smelled cleaning chemicals, but that was expected. There was nothing floral or some other kind of air freshener. He relaxed, almost sighing out in relief that his nose wouldn’t drive him crazy from the nauseating scents.</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson showed him upstairs to one of the bedrooms. A guest bedroom from what he could tell. It looked kind of impersonal, all white walls and cream carpet. A painting of a landscape hung over the neatly made bed. A vase of flowers sat on a table in one corner of the room. There was a ceiling fan, but it hung awkwardly, wires exposed. Johnny didn’t need to be told what the job for this room was. A step ladder already leaned against the wall for his use.</p>
<p>After she finished with the unnecessary explanation, Mrs. Swanson left the room. Johnny grabbed the step ladder and positioned it under the ceiling fan. He checked on the wiring and thankfully didn’t shock himself when he fixed it. He lost count of the number of times he got shocked when it came to working on wiring in these houses. Once the wiring was done, he lined the fan into place and screwed it back to the ceiling. Then he tested it, making sure the light came on and blades spun. Everything worked.</p>
<p>The doorbell rang as Johnny was returning the step ladder to where it originally leaned against the wall. He left the bedroom, wandering back toward the stairs. The front door creaked opened, and Johnny immediately paused. An odor hit his nose. Something familiar, and not a good familiar. He listened closely.</p>
<p>“Ah, Mr. Perkins,” Mrs. Swanson said, a false pleasantry in her tone. “I’m glad you could make it.” The door closed, and Johnny tensed. He didn’t want to be trapped in the same house as that damn Mr. Mustache.</p>
<p>“We’re doing formalities now?” That gruff voice grated on Johnny’s nerves. His lips drew back in a snarl as the anger crept through his veins. Shit. He had to stay in control! But he was pissed at this bastard for attacking him at his apartment. He took deep breaths, trying to focus on a song, any song, to anchor him. It wasn’t working nearly as well as he thought it should.</p>
<p>“I’ve spoken with Ben. He told me you recently went out to hunt a newly turned werewolf.” Mrs. Swanson dropped the pretense. She sounded almost as pissed as Johnny felt.</p>
<p>Mr. Mustache – No, Mrs. Swanson called him a different name. Mr. Perkins huffed, and Johnny could smell his foul anger. “The werewolf was a danger-”</p>
<p>“Silence!” Mrs. Swanson snapped with so much command and fury that Johnny stiffened, flashing back to his days at Cobra Kai. “I’ve already heard the whole story. I know about the rogue Alpha, and I know she was brought to the pack Alpha for judgement. This new werewolf, whoever he might be, is to be left alone unless he attacks and hurts an innocent. So far, I’ve received no reports about him doing any such thing.”</p>
<p>“He broke-”</p>
<p>“Because you staged an ambush,” Mrs. Swanson shouted over him. “And I don’t accept this kind of behavior. We have a code for a reason. And we certainly don’t accept payment for doing our job to protect innocent lives. And we don’t harm innocent werewolves.”</p>
<p>“This is bull shit!” Mr. Perkins growled heatedly. “You know how dangerous those monsters are.”</p>
<p>“Monsters?” Mrs. Swanson huffed. “I think you’re misunderstanding who the real monster in this situation is. Plenty of werewolves, plenty of supernatural creatures, are simply trying to live their lives in peace. They’re not much different from any normal human in that respect. Just because they have different abilities or appearances and can do things normal humans can’t doesn’t make them something to fear. We only go after the ones that present an actual threat. Am I clear?”</p>
<p>“Crystal,” Mr. Perkin muttered, but he was clearly not happy with anything she said.</p>
<p>“Good.” Mrs. Swanson’s voice was cold, stern. It sent shivers down Johnny’s spine. “Oh, and here’s that casserole recipe Katherine wanted.” The false pleasantry was back in her voice.</p>
<p>Johnny could hear Mr. Perkin’s growling. Then the door opened and slammed closed, Mr. Perkin’s gross stench leaving with him. Johnny closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to relax the tension in his body. If he didn’t have his werewolf senses, he might have walked downstairs right in the middle of that meeting. He didn’t want to know what could have happened when Mr. Perkins recognized him in that situation.</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson walked toward the stairs. Johnny quickly tried to recollect himself before he gave away his identity. Despite everything she said, he worried about her reaction if she learned her new handyman was actually a werewolf. He swallowed thickly and tried to think about what LaRusso would tell him in this situation to stop him from shifting.</p>
<p>“Oh!” Mrs. Swanson said with a start of surprise. “Did you finish with the guest room?”</p>
<p>Johnny cleared his throat, feeling calmer. “Y-Yeah. I was just coming to find you.”</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson nodded happily then led him onto the next job she had for him. She had him do a few more things around the house, but she didn’t hover around him while he worked. Johnny was thankful for that. He hated those helicopter clients. But the whole time, he kept waiting for something to happen. He glanced over his shoulder, almost expecting Mrs. Swanson to show up, maybe wielding some crazy axe or crossbow or something. When he could finally leave, he felt like he could breathe again. He climbed into his car and drove off.</p>
<p>As he headed to meet up with his band, Johnny considered making a stop back at the apartment, maybe shower or pick out something else to wear for the gig. But Carmen wanted them all to meet up before the gig, and he would be running late if he didn’t head over right away. He parked outside the house, that he became quite familiar with after all the band practices. After getting out of the car, he considered for a moment then popped the trunk. Part of this meetup was the band getting ready for the gig. He grabbed one of the notebooks from the trunk and carried it with him to the garage.</p>
<p>“Hey, you’re just in time!” Hazel greeted when he walked into the garage. “We got burgers for everyone. Still hot.” She grinned, popping some fries into her mouth. Her hair was twisted up in a towel, and she wore loose sweats.</p>
<p>“Can’t say no to burgers.” Johnny dropped next to her on the couch, tucking the notebook under a thigh, and snatched up one of the wrapped burgers.</p>
<p>Luke twisted the cap off a bottle of beer and passed it over to Johnny. “Carmen should be here soon. Then we can start getting ready for the gig.” He leaned back on his stool as he took a pull from his own beer.</p>
<p>“And don’t worry.” Hazel’s eyes twinkled at him. “We have stuff for you to wear too.”</p>
<p>Johnny almost choked on his gulp of beer. It wasn’t the kind he would buy, but free beer was free beer. “What? What do you mean?” He leaned forward to set the bottle down on the table.</p>
<p>Hazel tilted her head, lifting an eyebrow as she let her eyes trail down his body then back up. “You’re hot, yes. But dressed like that, you are so not ready to step onto stage with us.”</p>
<p>Luke laughed, hard, and Johnny figured he must be making the most ridiculous face right now. His eyes were probably bugging out. “It won’t be anything horrible. You just look too average handyman dressed like that.”</p>
<p>Johnny snorted as he ripped open the wrapper around his burger. “Well, I am just your average handyman.” He bit into the burger. Average really didn’t describe him much anymore.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Hazel agreed with a nod, “but we need you to look like rock bassist sex god.” She winked at him, her mouth curling in a teasing grin. Johnny coughed, almost choking on his food.</p>
<p>“That won’t be too hard. He’s already got the sex god vibe.” Luke smirked as Johnny coughed harder, hoping they would take that as the excuse for the reddening of his cheeks.</p>
<p>Hazel laughed. “Oh, like you have anything to be embarrassed about.” She reached over to pinch his cheek.</p>
<p>Johnny finally managed to swallow down his mouthful. “Okay. Okay!” He waved his arm in front of him. “No more talking about sex gods or whatever!” Unfortunately, that only made both of them laugh harder.</p>
<p>“Sorry I’m late!” Carmen announced as she burst into the garage. “I got held up at the hospital.” She walked over to join them, still in her nurse’s scrubs. “Oh, you are a blessing! I’m starving!” She squeezed onto the couch between Johnny and Hazel. “Ready for your first gig?” She smiled brightly, though up close, Johnny could see the exhaustion in her eyes. Working at the hospital then jumping right into performing at a gig couldn’t be easy. But there was still a light in her eyes, that excitement that came from getting out on a stage in front of a crowd. Johnny knew that feeling well.</p>
<p>“I’ll remind you that this isn’t my first time playing a gig.” Johnny crammed the last bite of his burger into his mouth.</p>
<p>“Yes, but it your first time playing with us on stage,” Carmen teased.</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes, but he was happy. It made him feel good when he was hanging out with them. They made him laugh, and he felt comfortable around them with their playful personalities. He could see them becoming pack to him.</p>
<p>“All right, Blondie!” Hazel hopped to her feet, clapping her hands together. “Time to make you look good.”</p>
<p>Johnny heaved a sigh like he thought of the whole thing as a chore. Setting the notebook down on the table, he got up and followed Hazel to the back of the garage. She drew the sheets closed once they were in what qualified as her bedroom. Johnny didn’t have much of a choice but to let her work her magic. The dark jeans were a bit tight on him, but Hazel assured him they looked great on him.</p>
<p>“They really sure off this ass of yours!”</p>
<p>The shirt she gave him stretched snugly around him, leaving practically nothing to the imagination. It was just long enough to reach the waist of his jeans, but when he moved, the shirt occasionally rose enough to show off a thin sliver of flesh. After Johnny shrugged into a leather jacket, Hazel shoved him down onto her bed.</p>
<p>“What are you doing now?” Johnny frowned as she ran her fingers through his hair.</p>
<p>Hazel tilted her head with a thoughtful pursing of her mouth. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to cut it or anything. I’m just going to style it a bit.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed a sigh as she fussed over his hair. He didn’t have to go through anything like this with Shannon’s band. But he found he didn’t mind it so much. It was nice having bandmates that cared and joked around and took care of each other rather than only wanting to get high or drunk and argue about everything. He would have to thank Amanda for all of this.</p>
<p>When Hazel finished, Johnny was allowed to leave. He stumbled through the sheets with his normal clothes in hand, and Hazel snapped them shut behind him so she could get ready herself. Luke whistled when he looked up to see him. Johnny rolled his eyes and took his place on the couch again, dumping his clothes at his feet.</p>
<p>Carmen swallowed the fries she was eating and smiled at him. “You look like a sexy rebel.”</p>
<p>“I guess that’s better than average handyman.” Johnny grinned as he picked up the notebook. He had time to waste while he waited for the others to finish getting ready. He flipped the notebook open, for a moment just staring at LaRusso’s handwriting. The neat lettering in black ink on the white pages. Just how many different supernatural creatures did LaRusso run into? There were so many of notebooks like this in those boxes. Shaking the questions out of his mind, he focused on reading the information in the notebook. If this Silver asshole came after LaRusso, Johnny wanted to know everything he could about vampires. He ground his teeth at the mere thought of Silver. What did this bastard want with LaRusso? And what exactly did he do to LaRusso to make him blackout for days at a time?</p>
<p>“What are you reading?”</p>
<p>Johnny nearly jumped at the sound of Carmen’s voice. He blinked at her, realizing belatedly that she had already changed out of her nurse’s scrubs. Now, she wore leather pants and a tank top under a loose mesh top.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Carmen laughed. “I asked what you were reading.” She leaned over to get a look at the notebook. “You’ve been pretty absorbed in whatever it is.” Her eyes flicked over the words, and her smile gradually fell. “Vampires?” She lifted her gaze to him as a frown settled on her face.</p>
<p>“It’s my friend’s,” Johnny said, maybe too quickly. “He’s kind of into all that.” He rolled his eyes with a chuckle. But he noted a hint of worry in the air. “I think he might be thinking of writing his own silly vampire story, so I thought,” he waved a hand at the notebook, “I’d check out the info he’s put together. You know, in case he wants my opinion on his writing. Or something.”</p>
<p>Carmen nodded slowly, a slight crease lingering on her brow. Then she smiled. “Sounds like you’re pretty good friends.”</p>
<p>Johnny shrugged, his mouth stretching upward. He couldn’t say LaRusso was just a friend. The wolf part of him seemed to make it pretty clear that LaRusso was pack.</p>
<p>“Let’s get this show on the road!” Hazel announced once she and Luke were dressed and ready to leave.</p>
<p>Johnny smiled fully, flipping the notebook shut and scooping up his clothes. He followed the others out of the garage. Already, he could feel that thrill of adrenaline of getting out on stage building in him.</p>
<p>Would LaRusso show up to see the show?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel reached the door of their apartment, bending over with his hands on his knees as he sucked in greedy beaths. Sweat made his clothes stick to him, but the long jog made him feel good. Without his job at the country club and his shift at the mini mart not starting until late, his day felt horribly long. After grocery shopping, he spent a good portion of the day at the apartment, but eventually, he grew bored and frustrated. Getting out and moving around was exactly what he needed. He unlocked the door and entered the apartment.</p>
<p>Dropping his keys and wallet on the kitchen counter, Daniel pulled off his shirt as he walked down the hall to the bathroom. He was gross and sweaty and definitely needed a shower before going to the club. After shutting the door, he yanked off his pants, dumping his clothes on the floor. Then he climbed into the shower and turned on the water. The spray felt good, and he stood under it for a few minutes, letting his busy mind zone out. When he realized he had stood there longer than he meant to, he started scrubbing himself clean.</p>
<p>After he stepped out of the shower, Daniel grabbed a towel and dried off before exiting the bathroom and entering the bedroom. He stood in the doorway with the towel hanging loosely around his waist. His gaze landed on the bed, and he swallowed thickly. When Johnny offered him a place to stay, Daniel logically knew his apartment wasn’t that big. It was a one bedroom like his own. In his head, he expected Johnny to make him sleep on the couch. And maybe he would have to try to convince Johnny to spring for a new couch, one with a fold out bed. Instead, Johnny insisted on Daniel sleeping in the same bed as him. Why? Daniel worried his lower lip between his teeth. He certainly wasn’t going to complain about this arrangement. But it left him wondering how Johnny felt about it. Or if it meant anything at all.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, Daniel walked over to his duffle bags, having moved them into the bedroom. Maybe it was better if he just didn’t think too hard about any of it. For all he knew, this whole arrangement was simply a matter of convenience for Johnny. He needed to learn about being a werewolf, at least until he had control. But they were also pack, according to Johnny. It was natural to want to keep pack close. It was easier to keep pack safe if they lived together. So, maybe that was it. It was just a pack thing.</p>
<p>Why did that thought hurt?</p>
<p>Daniel sighed as he crouched down and rifled through his things to find something suitable for going to the club. He had a nice pair of dark slacks that hugged maybe a little too snugly. Deciding on a top took an agonizingly long time. Why did it matter so much what he wore? Who was he trying to impress? He doubted Johnny would see him from the stage. He pulled on a simple black button up dress shirt, calling it good enough. When he checked the time, he groaned. The band would already be on stage by the time he arrived. He crammed his shoes on then grabbed his keys and wallet before he raced out the door.</p>
<p>When he arrived at the club, Daniel had to park a couple blocks down and walk the rest of the way. This club was bigger than the one Ali wanted to meet him at, which unfortunately meant more people. He took a breath, mentally preparing himself, before he entered the building. Music filled the room, and in front of the stage, bodies danced together. He decided it was probably best to keep back from the stage. His gaze lingered on the stage as he made his way over to the bar. The music was good. The singer had a nice soulful voice. He stared at the singer, swaying to the music with her eyes closed. She was gorgeous with long loosely curled dark hair.</p>
<p>“Daniel!”</p>
<p>He nearly jumped a foot, his heart almost shooting out of his chest. Blinking, he turned toward the voice.</p>
<p>“Amanda.”</p>
<p>Daniel sighed in relief, relaxing upon seeing her. When she drew him into a hug, he leaned into it. It was strange to him, allowing something like this, but he found Amanda to be one of those few people who didn’t overwhelm him with their emotions. It wasn’t the same as the calming presence of Mr. Miyagi, but she had a steadiness to her that made him feel comfortable around her.</p>
<p>“So, you came to watch Johnny?” Daniel sent a glance back to the stage and bit the inside of his cheek when his gaze landed on Johnny. He quickly tore his gaze away, even if Johnny wouldn’t notice his staring.</p>
<p>“I think,” Amanda smirked as she joined him at the bar, “you came to watch him.” She winked, and heat rose to Daniel’s cheeks. He didn’t think he liked that sparkle in her eyes at his reaction. “Oh, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He’s a good looking guy, after all.”</p>
<p>Daniel gave her a bland stare. It was pointless to deny it. Anyone with eyes could see Johnny still had the same good looks he had in high school. The tight clothing he wore right now only helped emphasis his body. “So,” he said, clearing his throat, “if not Johnny, did you come to watch someone else?” He remembered Johnny mentioning that Amanda might be interested in someone already. He glanced back to the stage. “Someone else in the band, maybe?”</p>
<p>“Johnny said something, didn’t he?”</p>
<p>“Maybe.” Daniel turned back with a wide smirk.</p>
<p>Amanda smacked him on the arm. “Fine. It’s Carmen. The singer,” she added when Daniel lifted a puzzled eyebrow.</p>
<p>“You should ask her out.”</p>
<p>“You should ask Johnny out.”</p>
<p>Daniel gaped at her then shook his head. “Maybe if I wanted my teeth knocked out.” Maybe that was a knee jerk reaction, to believe Johnny hated him. They were always quick to anger around each other, butting heads and slinging snarky insults. But recently, since Johnny’s first shift, their relationship had changed.</p>
<p>Amanda looked like she was ready to roll her eyes at him. “Tell me about how you met.”</p>
<p>“Johnny never told you?” Daniel stared in disbelief. He got the impression that they knew each other fairly well. Johnny must have mentioned something about their relationship to her. Or maybe he was thinking too highly about himself in Johnny’s mind. But Johnny had talked about him to his ex-girlfriend, Shannon.</p>
<p>“He did.” Amanda nodded. “But I also know there’s two sides to the story. I’ve heard his version of events. I’d like the hear your version too.”</p>
<p>Daniel ducked his head, smiling. He knew he liked Amanda. “I mean,” he shrugged, twisting around on the stool to lean back with his elbows on the bar counter, “it’s not that long a story. I moved here from Newark, and I got invited to a little end of the summer party on the beach. I had a run in with Johnny, and he gave me a black eye. There were some more incidents with him and his buddies beating me up because I dared to talk to his ex.” He waved a hand like none of that was important. “My sensei and his sensei agreed to a challenge. I would fight in a karate tournament. If I won, they had to leave me alone. If I lost, they could keep beating the shit out of me. I won with a kick to his face.”</p>
<p>“I feel like there’s a lot more to that story.” Amanda frowned, and Daniel wondered how much of the story Johnny actually explained to her.</p>
<p>Daniel turned his gaze to the stage, watching Johnny play. He was really good. The whole band was, but Daniel’s attention kept focusing on Johnny. “You know, sometimes, even though I won that tournament, I feel like we both lost, in different ways.” He swallowed when he thought he caught a flicker of blue eyes. He jerked his gaze away. Shit. He forgot about stupid werewolf hearing. Maybe Johnny couldn’t filter out all the sounds in the club, but from that instant of their eyes meeting, Daniel was certain Johnny was listening to every word he and Amanda said.</p>
<p><i>Oh god!</i> Daniel wanted to groan out loud but held back. He was caught somewhere between the color draining from his face and heat washing over his cheeks. Johnny heard Amanda tell Daniel to ask him out. He resisted the urge to glance back over to the stage again.</p>
<p>“That just makes me have more questions,” Amanda said, eying him with curiosity and concern.</p>
<p>“Don’t I get to ask you questions?” Daniel returned with a smirk. “What’s the story between you and Carmen?”</p>
<p>“Oh, that boring story.” Amanda waved him off, but she wore a teasing smile.</p>
<p>“I told you my story. You have to tell me yours.”</p>
<p>Amanda laughed. “Okay. But it really is boring compared to yours. I mean, we weren’t karate rivals who got into an epic fight or anything.” She rolled her shoulder. “We met in college when I went out to a club one night. After she performed, we talked. See? Nothing exciting.”</p>
<p>“So, why haven’t you asked her out yet?” Daniel almost envied the way Amanda and Carmen met. The story of how he and Johnny met might sound “exciting,” but it certainly wasn’t fun. For either of them. Some good things came out of it though. Like being trained by Mr. Miyagi, who became his best friend and father figure. But plenty of bad things came out of the whole thing too.</p>
<p>“She’s busy chasing her dream. Being a nurse and having the band. And I’ve been working hard at trying to open the dealership. We both have pretty busy schedules.”</p>
<p>“I think you could make it work.” Daniel cared about Amanda, and he wanted to see her happy. Even though he hadn’t known her for long. “How’s the whole dealership stuff coming along?”</p>
<p>“Slow,” Amanda muttered with a sigh in her voice. “But I think there’s a good location available. And I’ve been in talks with some manufacturers for when I can open the dealership. A few of them seem interested. Oh, and there’s a position open if you’re still interested in getting some experience with sales.”</p>
<p>“You,” Daniel took her hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing the back of it, “are a life saver. I would love to apply for that position.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled, her chin lifted up. “I thought you might.”</p>
<p>They talked a bit more before falling silent to enjoy the music. Daniel liked their music. They had a good sound, and the people in the club seemed to enjoy it too, if the large crowd dancing in front of the stage was anything to go by. Daniel kept an eye on the time, checking it every couple of minutes. Eventually, he sighed.</p>
<p>“I gotta run or I’ll be late for work.” Daniel groaned tiredly, but he needed to keep the mini mart job until he was sure he had the position at the dealership.</p>
<p>“I’m sure Johnny will be disappointed you couldn’t stick around, but he’ll understand.” Amanda stood with him and drew him into a hug. “Be sure to stop by the dealership tomorrow, okay?”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded. “I’ll be there.” He walked toward the exit but paused before he reached it. Turning back around, he stared at the stage. Johnny’s eyes met his, and Daniel bit back a smile. “You’re amazing up there,” he murmured quietly, but he knew Johnny’s werewolf hearing would be able to pick it up. Johnny’s mouth pulled into that familiar cocky half smirk, and Daniel managed a small smile back, his heart skipping in his chest. Before he could lose himself in that moment, he ducked out of the club and walked down the street to his car.</p>
<p>Ten minutes into his shift at the mini mart, and Daniel wished he could have stayed back at the club listening to Johnny, to the band play. A few people stopped in, picking up drinks and snacks. He gave them friendly smiles and rang up their purchases with idle chatter. A young boy with his mother sneaked a chocolate bar into his pocket. When the mother came up to pay for the few items she picked up, Daniel gave the boy a stern look. Hesitantly, the boy ducked his head then slowly brought out the chocolate bar to place on the counter with everything else.</p>
<p>“Jeremy!” his mother scolded with a disappointed frown.</p>
<p>Jeremy sniffled, his shoulders shaking.</p>
<p>His mother sighed as she crouched down in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. “You know money is tight right now.” She stroked a hand over his cheek. “As much as I would like to buy you treats, I can’t. I have to watch my spending.”</p>
<p>Daniel felt a pang of guilt, but he also couldn’t just let someone shoplift. It wouldn’t be good to let the boy think he could steal and get away with it. Daniel rang up the chocolate bar then pulled out his wallet and slipped the money for it into the till. Standing up, he leaned over the counter and handed the chocolate bar to Jeremy. Both mother and son stared at him with wide eyes the whole time.</p>
<p>“You’re an honest kid.” Daniel gave him a warm smile. “So, think of this as a little reward for that honesty.”</p>
<p>Jeremy turned his wide blue eyes onto his mother. When she gave a small nod, he took the chocolate bar.</p>
<p>His mother stood up again. “Thank you,” she said in a quiet tone with grateful eyes.</p>
<p>Daniel nodded then rang up her items. He gave a friendly farewell as they left. Settling back on his seat, he sighed tiredly. In the silent moments, his mind kept wandering back to the club. Johnny had looked <i>really good</i> up there. He seemed to fit in well with the band, at least when performing. Daniel hoped, in time, they would become a part of Johnny’s pack.</p>
<p>The door opened, and Daniel focused his attention back on his job. He smiled in greeting to the three people entering the mini mart. One woman flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder before she sauntered toward the back where the beer was located. The shaggy darked haired man let out a whoop of joy before ducking into the aisle with all the candy. The redhead with her hair cropped short rolled her eyes at him before she walked over to where the selection of cigarettes was. Daniel swallowed thickly as he watched all three of them.</p>
<p>After a few minutes, the three of them approached him, laying out all their items on the counter. The redhead’s pink painted lips curved upward in a smirk. Her green eyes gleamed.</p>
<p>“Oh, look at this, loves.” She leaned her hands on the counter. “This little happy meal knows what we are.”</p>
<p>Daniel offered her a bland look. “I’ve met vampires before.”</p>
<p>“And he’s not scared of us.” The blonde leaned on her with a predatory grin. Her fangs elongated, and her eyes shifted to yellow.</p>
<p>“I wonder how good he tastes.” The man eyed him, licking his lips hungrily.</p>
<p>Daniel ignored those comments as he rang up their items: two six packs of gross beer, a large mound of different candy bars, and a pack of cigarettes. He flicked his gaze back to the three vampires with each item he scanned. “You do have the money for all this stuff, right?”</p>
<p>“I feel insulted,” the man complained. “Can I nibble on him?”</p>
<p>The redhead grabbed hold of his chin, her nails digging into his flesh as she yanked his head around to face her. “What did I tell you before?” Her yellow eyes bore into him as he whimpered.</p>
<p>“No eating until we’re out of town.” </p>
<p>She shoved him back, releasing his chin. “Good.” Then she licked the traces of his blood from her nails. Her attention returned to Daniel. “Yes, we have the money. And you don’t have to worry about us eating you. Though,” she smirked, her gaze slowly traveling downward, “I bet you taste good.”</p>
<p>“We don’t kill either,” the blonde added, sidling up to her male companion. Her gaze focused on the little crescents of blood on his face. “We just take a little sample here and there and let the little happy meals walk away in a bit of a daze. We’re not some silly fledges. We actually have some control.” Then she licked the man’s face, savoring those little drops of blood.</p>
<p>Daniel focused on the redhead, clearly the leader of them. She handed him a wad of cash. He wondered how much of it was stolen. Or maybe some of their “happy meals” were happy to pay to be bitten by a vampire.</p>
<p>“Leaving town?” Daniel questioned with a lift of his eyebrow. “Any reason for that?” He handed back the change. “A bigger, badder vampire perhaps?”</p>
<p>“Maybe,” she snatched the money out of his hand, “we just grew tired of this place.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded as he bagged the candy. “So, you haven’t heard of a vampire called Terry Silver?” He watched them closely. The man paled as he accepted the plastic bag.</p>
<p>“Don’t know how you know that name.” The redhead picked up the pack of cigarettes. “But we want nothing to do with that piece of shit.” She led the way toward the exit as the blonde hurriedly grabbed the beer. The man shuddered, frowning at Daniel before he followed after them.</p>
<p>When the door shut behind them, Daniel sagged in his seat. Even other vampires didn’t like Silver.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“That was fantastic!” Luke grinned as he placed his guitar back in its case. He gave Johnny an appraising glance over then snapped the lid shut. “You really are what we were missing.”</p>
<p>“Carmen will really have to thank Amanda for introducing you to us.” Hazel winked at Carmen, whose flushed cheeks could be simply a result from having just finished performing. Johnny was pretty certain it had more to do with Amanda.</p>
<p>“I think we should celebrate,” Carmen said, choosing not to acknowledge the suggestive nature of Hazel’s comment.</p>
<p>“We can invite Amanda.” Johnny smirked as he stood up with his guitar case in his hand. “But I do really need to call it a night. I’ve got to get up early for work tomorrow.” He was ready for a day off, but he had noticed ever since his first shift, his back didn’t ache as much. It still hurt after a long day, especially if he had to do some heavy lifting, but he recovered from it faster than before.</p>
<p>“Then after you get off from work tomorrow,” Carmen suggested, still a bit rosy cheeked. “We certainly can’t celebrate without you.”</p>
<p>When they were ready, they left the back room of the club. Johnny helped carry some of the drumkits to the van the others drove to the club. He handed the case off to Hazel as they loaded up all their equipment into the back of the van. They said their goodbyes, and Johnny headed off to his car. Somehow, it didn’t surprise him to see Amanda leaning against his car waiting for him. Despite all the noise in the club, people’s conversations seeming almost as loud as their music in his ears, Johnny was still able to zero in on LaRusso’s conversation with Amanda. His face felt a bit hot as he remembered some what was said.</p>
<p>“You didn’t drive here?” Johnny popped open the trunk and placed his guitar case into it.</p>
<p>“And risk driving home drunk?” Amanda shook her head with a click of her tongue.</p>
<p>“I know you didn’t drink that much.” Johnny landed a stern stare on her before he closed the trunk.</p>
<p>Amanda shrugged, waiting on him to unlock the doors. “I still thought it would be a good idea to catch a ride home with you. Did Daniel tell you werewolves can’t get drunk?”</p>
<p>“Are you sure you weren’t hoping to get a ride with Carmen?” Johnny sent a teasing smirk over the top of the car. Then he froze after unlocking the door. “Wait. What? What do you mean I can’t get drunk?”</p>
<p>Amanda laughed, maybe even cackled, as she slid into the passenger’s seat. Johnny grumbled, climbing into the driver’s seat. Then he turned a glare on her, waiting for a response. Amanda took her time settling into her seat, buckling the seatbelt, before she finally decided to address his concern.</p>
<p>“Well, not with normal beer anyway,” Amanda said. “Is it really such a bad thing?” She lifted an elegant eyebrow. “Do you really want to be getting black out drunk all the time? I kind of thought you were getting over that bad habit at this point.”</p>
<p>“I am.” Johnny frowned then sighed as he started the car. “I guess it just sucks not having that option if I feel like absolute shit.”</p>
<p>Amanda reached over and placed a hand over his, giving it a light squeeze. “I really hope you never get to that place again. I don’t like seeing you hurting, and it’s worse when you’re trying to escape all that pain with alcohol.”</p>
<p>Johnny glanced over to her, and his gaze softened. “I’m lucky you were there to help me pick up the pieces.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled sympathetically. “But,” she sighed, pulling her hand away, “there is a way you can still experience that drunken state. If I make some for you, though, I’m monitoring how much you drink so you don’t get to that bad place.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Johnny laughed and pulled away from the curb. “A little buzz every now and again is all I’m asking for.”</p>
<p>“I can arrange that.” Amanda laughed too.</p>
<p>“So,” Johnny side eyed her as he drove them back to their apartment, “<i>are</i> you going to ask Carmen out?”</p>
<p>“The two of you are ganging up on me now?”</p>
<p>Johnny grinned. “Come on! I bet she likes you back. So, where’s the harm in asking her out?”</p>
<p>“So, you’re going to ask Daniel out then? I know you were listening to our conversation.”</p>
<p>“What makes you think we even like each other like that?” Johnny huffed, but he had heard LaRusso’s response to that question. It kind of hurt that LaRusso still thought Johnny would punch him for that. They were pack now. Maybe Johnny needed to do more to show he didn’t hate LaRusso. And he didn’t. A couple weeks ago, he might not have said he felt that way, but after everything that happened recently, he couldn’t find any hate in himself toward LaRusso.</p>
<p>That sadness that clouded around him and filled his voice when LaRusso said they both lost in some ways after the tournament stirred something in Johnny, a desire to protect him, to drive away those negative feelings. There was an understanding though. LaRusso might have won the tournament, but he lost so much because of it. If he hadn’t won, he never would have met Silver. He wouldn’t have needed to run and keep running to stay away from him. And thinking about that only increased that need to protect him.</p>
<p>Then LaRusso left with one last murmured comment, just for his ears, and it made Johnny’s chest swell.</p>
<p>Amanda turned on him with a bland look in her eyes, like she was asking him if he thought she was a fool. “Johnny, I’ve seen the two of you together. Despite all the shit that happened between the two of you in the past, and I know neither of you have given me the full details there, I can see there’s chemistry between the two of you. And he clearly has to care a lot about you. If he was just some old rival that hated you, why would he be going out of his way to help you? He was there to help you through your first shift. At great risk to himself. He couldn’t have known how you would react during and after the shift. You could have snapped and attacked him.”</p>
<p>“Okay. Okay!” Johnny groaned. “You think I haven’t thought about all of that already?”</p>
<p>“I just don’t want you to miss out on something that could be really great for the both of you because you’re too scared to take the risk.” Amanda shrugged.</p>
<p>“Pot, kettle. Nice to meet you.” Johnny returned with a smirk. “And I’m not scared.”</p>
<p>“Of course, you’re not.” Amanda patted his arm.</p>
<p>Johnny huffed grumpily, not liking that teasing tone of her voice. “How’s this? The band is planning a celebration dinner tomorrow night. You can come with us. Maybe you can get some alone time with Carmen.” He grinned, and Amanda rolled her eyes despite the light blush coloring her cheeks. “And I’ll even invite LaRusso to tagalong.”</p>
<p>“A group date. How safe.”</p>
<p>Johnny glared at her as he parked the car. “There’s a chance he might not even be able to come because of his mini mart job.”</p>
<p>“Well, with any luck, he’ll get that job at the dealership and quit that one.” Amanda pushed open the car door and climbed out of the car. “Then it’s just a matter of us getting the rest of the stuff prepared to start our own dealership.”</p>
<p>Johnny had to smile as he also got out of the car. “I’m already terrified of the power the two of you will wield working together.” He grabbed his guitar case, and the two notebooks, out of the trunk.</p>
<p>Amanda smirked as they walked toward their apartments. “You know me. When I have a goal in mind, I don’t stop until I achieve it. I imagine Daniel’s not too different.”</p>
<p>“He is a stubborn little shit,” Johnny agreed, unable to keep the smile off his face. It seemed ridiculous, but LaRusso had managed to worm his way back into his life, even after Johnny shouted at him to stay out. “I’ll see you later.” He pulled her into a quick hug, kissing her cheek before he walked over to the door of his own apartment.</p>
<p>“Night, Johnny.” Amanda waved then disappeared into her apartment.</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head with a light smile as he unlocked the door. The second he opened the door; he knew something was different. Frowning, he gave the door a shove, the hinges squealing as the door swung open. Cautiously, he stepped through the doorway. He sniffed. Chemicals were in the air, but they weren’t so strong that they irritated his nose. More importantly, he no longer smelled that stench of stale beer. Reaching out, he flipped on the lights and blinked in his shock. It wasn’t some amazing remodel of the apartment, but he noticed right away how much cleaner everything was. The carpet no longer appeared dingy and gray. The couch still had a slight sheen to it from having been scrubbed down with some kind of leather cleaner.</p>
<p>“LaRusso,” Johnny murmured in complete surprise as he kicked the door shut. He leaned the guitar case against the wall then dropped the notebooks onto the table in front of the couch. Before he could walk away, something caught his attention. He bent down, tugging free the brochure half buried by the notebooks. He frowned as he scanned through it. “Why the hell does LaRusso have a brochure for a rehab facility?”</p>
<p>Johnny would definitely need to ask him about that when LaRusso got home. Dropping the brochure back onto the table, he glanced over to LaRusso’s stuff. The duffle bags were gone, but Johnny guessed those got moved into the bedroom. The medical chest was also moved elsewhere. The boxes of notebooks remained, but the one with the kitchen stuff was now folded up and crammed between the other boxes and the wall. Johnny walked over to the kitchen and rifled around through the cabinets. LaRusso had put away all his dishes and silverware. There was plenty of room, since Johnny hadn’t owned very much stuff for the kitchen in the first place. He also found a number of pots and pans and some cooking utensils. When he opened the refrigerator, he found it stuffed with a variety of food. He made a face noting all the green crap.</p>
<p>After closing the door, Johnny wandered down the hall to the bathroom. The shower felt good. He sniffed at the shampoo, conditioner, and soap LaRusso left in there. As he had mentioned, none of them were too heavy with perfume smells. When he finished the shower, he dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist before leaving the bathroom.</p>
<p>Johnny stopped at the door to the bedroom. Then he turned back down the hall and walked over to the table in front of the couch. He picked up the notebooks and carried them back to his room. He didn’t know how long LaRusso’s shift would be, but he assumed he still had plenty of time to do some reading. Dropping onto his bed, he laid back, resting his head on the pillow as he opened one of the notebooks.</p>
<p>The first couple of pages he scanned through were like diary entries, talking about some old vampires, according to the dates listed for when they were turned. Johnny didn’t recognize any of the names. Then he turned to a page that was mostly blank. At the top, the name DRACULA was written in big bold letters. Under it was a single word, underlined three times: Overrated. Johnny chuckled at that.</p>
<p>The first notebook pretty much was filled with those diary type entries. Johnny tossed it aside and opened the next notebook, finally getting to the real information he was looking for. There were the typical methods of killing vampires: a stake through the heart, beheading, fire, and sunlight. He never heard of vervain before. Holy water, naturally, burned them.</p>
<p>The next pages talked about how turning worked. A lot of newly turned vampires were mere fledges, minions to stronger vampires. Master vampires, apparently, was the term for that. There was stuff about Sires and Childes. Johnny wrinkled his nose at the talk about pets and quickly turned to the next page. The handwriting was completely different for this section, a neat calligraphy. Johnny’s frown deepened as he read through the information. A sickness twisted in his gut. He swallowed thickly as he snapped the notebook shut and threw it toward the foot of the bed.</p>
<p>Was <i>that</i> the fate LaRusso was facing? Nothing he read in the notebook sounded like a fate he would want. But the thought of being enslaved to some creepy ass vampire who would essentially have complete control over him and he wouldn’t be able to fight against it sounded terrifying. In a way, he thought about his mother. He thought about how after she married Sid, he basically controlled by her. Sure. She was able to convince him to buy things for Johnny, pay for lessons he wanted to take, for his schooling, for nice clothes and a cool car and bike. But she always had to bow down to him, do what he wanted of her, and in the end, she never could get away from him. That wasn’t a life for anyone. Johnny would never let someone else he cared about suffer that kind of life.</p>
<p>After sitting for a while, stewing in his thoughts, Johnny checked the time on clock sitting on his bedside table. He rubbed his hands over his face. It was late, and he was tired. Getting up from the bed, he grabbed the notebooks and headed out of the bedroom. Part of him wanted to keep LaRusso locked up in the apartment where he would be safe from Silver. But he knew he couldn’t do that.  It wouldn’t make him any better than the monster coming after him. He breathed out loudly as he put the notebooks back into the box where they belonged.</p>
<p>Johnny stood and dragged his feet as he headed to the bathroom, flipping off the lights on his way. He brushed his teeth, his mind not really on the task. Then he returned to the bedroom. He tossed the towel into the basket in the corner before shutting off the lights and crawling under the blankets. The information he read kept circling around in his mind, and he tried to imagine this Silver bastard, this asshole vampire who wanted to hurt LaRusso. The rage coiled inside him, tight and ready to spring. His lips drew back in a snarl as he growled into the darkness. He could feel the shift, his eyes and his teeth, squeezing his fists around the bedspread. He wanted to rip the man’s head off to keep him away from LaRusso. At the first painful snap of bone, he screwed his eyes shut and tried to focus on his anchor to calm the rage.</p>
<p>Music wasn’t working.</p>
<p>Maybe that was a lie. Music wasn’t his anchor.</p>
<p>“LaRusso,” Johnny breathed out, feeling a calmness inside him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And now I have to go change this story to a mature rating.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daniel was exhausted by the time his shift ended. In his tiredness, he almost drove back to his old apartment before becoming aware of his surroundings. Having to correct course made the drive to their apartment take longer. He yawned tiredly as he stumbled into the dark apartment. Johnny was probably already asleep. Daniel closed the door quietly, making sure it was locked, though the wards would keep out any unwanted visitors. Toeing out of his shoes, he left them near the door then crept silently down the hall to the bathroom. He used the toilet before quickly washing up and brushing his teeth.</p>
<p>When he entered the bedroom, Daniel took a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He could make out Johnny’s body under the blankets. A smile tugged at his mouth. He started undressing as he walked over to his duffle bags, leaving all his clothes in them since he was unsure what space was available to him when unpacking. After changing into a pair of comfy sweatpants, Daniel climbed into the bed with a contented sigh as his head dropped onto the pillow.</p>
<p>“You cleaned the apartment.”</p>
<p>Daniel almost choked on his gasp, growing tense at the disturbance to the silence. “Crap, Johnny!” He rolled onto his back with a hand over his heart. “I thought you were sleeping.”</p>
<p>“I was, but then I heard you come in.” When Daniel turned his head toward him, Johnny lifted an eyebrow. “You cleaned the apartment.”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed, a little breathlessly. “Well, yeah.” He shrugged. “I mean, I didn’t have much to do during the day. Cleaning seemed like a good way to waste time. And I figured with your werewolf super smell, some odors might be unpleasant for you. Once I was at the store to pick up food, it seemed dumb not to grab some cleaning stuff too. That carpet was a nightmare though.”</p>
<p>“In my defense, I wasn’t the only one to ruin the carpet.”</p>
<p>“I never said I thought it was all your fault.” Daniel bit the corner of his mouth, trying to keep back the smirk.</p>
<p>Johnny bobbed his head. “Thanks. I, uh – That was really thoughtful of you.”</p>
<p>“It’s not really that big of a deal.”</p>
<p>“I’m trying to tell you I appreciate it. So, could you just accept it?”</p>
<p>Daniel blinked at the slight aggression in Johnny’s voice. “Um, yeah, okay.”</p>
<p>Johnny huffed out a breath as he turned his gaze toward the ceiling. “I saw that brochure you left sitting out. Anything you want to tell me?”</p>
<p>“Brochure?” Daniel squinted his eyes, sifting through his memories for what Johnny was talking about. “Oh!” He laughed and shook his head. “Shannon stopped by.”</p>
<p>Johnny jerked upright, twisting around to face him. “What?” he snapped with a flash of glowing eyes.</p>
<p>“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Daniel sat up too, holding up his hands. “Take a breath. I didn’t invite her in, if you’re worried about that. I don’t even know if I can do that with the wards. I forgot to ask Amanda about that at the club.” He sighed as he raked a hand through his hair. “Look. She stopped by looking for you because she wanted to let you know she was checking into a rehab center. She wants to get clean for her baby.”</p>
<p>“She wants-” Johnny turned his head to stare at the far wall. Daniel didn’t even need his ability to know Johnny was stunned in disbelief. Then Johnny shook himself out of it. “I can’t believe it,” he mumbled softly. “That’s good. Great! I’m glad she’s finally getting the help she needs.”</p>
<p>Daniel smiled as he relaxed. “And she wants you to know she’s happy that you found a new band to join.” He started to settle back onto the bed until he noticed Johnny was still sitting up. Frowning, he pushed himself back up on his hands. A wrinkle formed on his brow. “What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes then landed his gaze on Daniel. “I know you know I could hear your conversation with Amanda.”</p>
<p>“Just because you have werewolf hearing doesn’t give you the right to listen in on private conversations.” Daniel tried to sound stern even while a flush rose to his cheeks. He hoped Johnny would just forget about the whole thing. But of course, he wouldn’t be that lucky. “So, how long do you think it’ll be before Amanda asks out that singer in your band?”</p>
<p>“Hopefully, soon. Maybe she’ll get the courage to ask Carmen out at our celebration dinner tomorrow night. Which you’re also invited to.”</p>
<p>“I have another late shift at the mini mart, but I could probably make it for a bit.”</p>
<p>Johnny bobbed his head. For a few minutes, they sat in silence. Daniel sat up fully, shaking out his arms after leaning on them for too long. Nervousness churned inside him, and he chewed on his lip. He wanted to avoid this conversation, but he also wanted to get it over with. If Johnny was going to get angry and kick him out, Daniel didn’t want to sit there stressing out about it.</p>
<p>“Do you really think I’d punch your teeth out if you asked me out?” Hesitation seeped into Johnny’s soft voice.</p>
<p>Daniel licked his dry lips, and his hands flexed around the blankets bunched up across his lap. “I mean, um,” he swallowed, not daring to look at Johnny, “I’ve never really had reason to think you’d be interested. In men. In high school, well, I’m pretty sure you would have kicked my ass if I asked back then. But, like, the 80s.” He shrugged uselessly. “I think I would have done the same if some guy tried to ask me out. I didn’t really figure things out until after having to move around a lot. And, well, a lot of the supernatural creatures I’ve run into don’t really care about gender most of the time.” He flicked a cautious glance to Johnny, who was watching him, his expression neutral. “Are you interested? In men?”</p>
<p>Johnny cracked a smirk. “You’re not wrong. In high school, I would have definitely beat the shit out of you if you even thought about asking me out. But,” he rolled a shoulder, “that’s what happens when you have toxic male figures in your life telling you not to be a pussy. And you have no idea how hard it was breaking out of that kind of thinking.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I’m pretty sure Bobby wanted to strangle me at times while I was still deep in denial. Leaving Cobra Kai, finally getting out of my shitty stepfather’s house, I was able to actually realize a few things about myself in college. For as long as I went. I didn’t get my first, and only so far, boyfriend until ditching college and going into handyman work. He was kind of a dick, and I’m pretty sure he just saw me as a piece of hot ass he wanted to bang into the mattress.” Johnny frowned, his jaw tight and anger clouding his blue eyes. “I was with him for two months before the guys finally decided to stage an intervention because they were worried about me.” He huffed a sudden laugh. “I mean, when Dutch is worried about something, I know things got bad.”</p>
<p>“Johnny, I-” Daniel didn’t really know what to say to that.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to feel sorry for me.” Johnny waved off anything Daniel might have said. “I know I was an idiot. I guess at the time, I just thought, hey, the guy wants me. It felt good to be wanted. Even if it was just about sex for him.”</p>
<p>“It shouldn’t be like that. Johnny, you deserve so much more than that. You’re so much more than a body to fuck.” Daniel squeezed his hands around the blankets. He wanted to know this guy’s name so he could find him and beat his ass for treating Johnny like that.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry.” Johnny turned a smile on him. “The guys already made me realize that. But it’s good to hear it.” Then he rolled his shoulder. “After that though, I kind became a bit wary about other guys. I’ve flirted here and there, but I decided I wasn’t going to hook up with another guy unless I felt like there was more than just a physical thing between us.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad your friends were looking out for you.” Daniel couldn’t imagine how damaging a relationship like that could be.</p>
<p>“Me too.” Johnny nodded with a fond smile, lowering his gaze. Then he placed a hand on the mattress, resting it between them as he leaned closer. “So, LaRusso, do you want to go on a date with me?”</p>
<p>Daniel swallowed hard, the blush creeping to the tips of his ears. His heart fluttered. His gaze dipped, watching as Johnny’s mouth spread into a slow smirk. “Yeah,” he said in a low, raspy voice.</p>
<p>Then Johnny closed the distance, pressing their mouths together. Daniel froze, surprised by the sudden kiss, by the wash of emotions from Johnny. Happiness, contentment, relief, attraction. It was an overwhelming mixture crashing over him all at once. Then he relaxed, sighing into the kiss. He reached up a hand, cupping it over Johnny’s jaw as he leaned more into the kiss. Johnny’s tongue nudged gently at his lips.</p>
<p>Daniel jerked back, like he was touched by a hot brand. Johnny’s eyes flew open with a worried gleam.</p>
<p>“I don’t want you to think this is just about sex,” Daniel explained hurriedly, panic seizing tightly in his chest.</p>
<p>Johnny laughed, hanging his head as he shook it. That reaction only made Daniel’s anxiety worse. “I know this isn’t just sex to you.” He stole a quick kiss before dropping on his back. “I just couldn’t resist kissing you.”</p>
<p>Daniel ducked his head, his face flaming as he peeked over at Johnny through long lashes and dark bangs hanging down over his eyes. Then he flopped onto his back, covering his face with his hands as he groaned. “You can smell my arousal! I forgot how embarrassing it can be living with a werewolf. Stupid super smelling!”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed harder, and Daniel reached over to smack his arm.</p>
<p>“And I was being serious.” Daniel turned his head to stare at Johnny. “I think it’s important that you know I’m not like that guy. It’s not just about sex with you.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his hand. “What is it then? What do you feel for me?”</p>
<p>Daniel stared at Johnny, stared into his eyes. Eyes so blue they were easy to get lost in. “A pull.” The corner of his mouth tugged upward as Johnny arched a questioning eyebrow. “I don’t know. It’s like ever since we first met on the beach, we haven’t been able to escape each other’s orbit. Whenever we saw each other in high school, up until the tournament, we just zeroed in on each other and had to butt heads. It was kind of disappointing when that all ended after the tournament.”</p>
<p>“You wanted me to keep beating you up?”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed. “No, but I missed that,” he squinted, searching his brain for the right word, “whatever it was between us. That thing that kept drawing us to each other. It never felt like it was just hatred. And then we met again, and,” he lowered his gaze with a fond smile, “there it was again. That pull bringing us together, again and again. And this time, it didn’t feel like that hatred still there. I mean, maybe a little, at first. But now,” he lifted his eyes to meet Johnny’s gaze, “I just want you to stay in my life.”</p>
<p>They stared into each other’s eyes. Time didn’t seem to exist anymore. It was just them, in this moment, and the world fell away. Then Johnny moved, straddling Daniel’s waist before he even registered the movement. His heart skipped, and he swallowed. Watching and waiting. Johnny leaned down, their lips brushing together.</p>
<p>“I feel that pull too.” Johnny sealed his mouth over Daniel’s.</p>
<p>His desire, Johnny’s desire; it was all one and the same, mixing and merging in a crazy cocktail of emotions bursting inside of him. Overwhelming and intense. Daniel snaked a hand around the back of Johnny’s neck, fingers tangling in the soft blond hair. His lips parted, allowing Johnny to plunge his tongue into his mouth. His other hand rested on Johnny’s shoulder as their kiss deepened, tongues exploring mouths, rubbing against each other. Then his hand slid down, enjoying the feel of a well muscled pec. His fingers danced around a nipple, and Johnny broke away with a moan. Daniel bit back a smile as he stared at Johnny’s kiss swollen lips.</p>
<p>Johnny moved, kissing down the length of Daniel’s throat, licking along his clavicle, then working his way down his chest. Daniel’s breath hitched as he watched Johnny catch his nipple between his teeth. He fisted a handful of golden locks while Johnny swirled his tongue around the hardening nub. Daniel whimpered as Johnny turned his attention to his other nipple, sucking and nipping. His hips bucked upward, desperately seeking the friction he needed. Johnny chuckled against the chest under him as his hands tickled down Daniel’s sides to rest on his hips and keep them still. </p>
<p>“Someone’s eager.” Johnny smirked, and a whine built in the back of Daniel’s throat.</p>
<p>“Damn it, Johnny,” Daniel grumbled, trying to push his head downward. “You have no idea how much this is driving me crazy.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Johnny arched his eyebrow with a low chuckle that only made the flush of heat spread over Daniel’s body. He kissed a line down to Daniel’s naval, pausing here and there to nip or lick at his tanned skin, earning a variety of moans and groans from Daniel. “Because those sounds? The way you smell? It’s doing crazy things to me. And the wolf.” He hooked his thumbs under the waistband of Daniel’s sweatpants. He stared up at him, like asking for permission before he continued.</p>
<p>Daniel groaned as he lifted his hips. How the hell did Johnny have this much control over himself? He had been with werewolves in the past, but they were more of the mind of “oh, warm, sexy body” with none of the actual feelings attached to the sex. But he could feel the hesitation in Johnny, a fear buried under all the want and need.</p>
<p>“You’re not going to hurt me,” Daniel assured him, smiling down at him.</p>
<p>Johnny frowned in response as he slowly dragged the waistband down. “You have a lot of scars.”</p>
<p>The smile faltered. “I’ve had to fight a lot.” His sweatpants were shoved down to his knees, and Daniel sat up, threading his fingers through Johnny’s hair. “I trust you not to hurt me.” He had to close his eyes at the sudden wash of emotion that hit him. Trust was obviously a big thing for Johnny. And despite the rabbit fast beat of his heart, Daniel knew Johnny could hear he wasn’t lying.</p>
<p>His sweatpants were gone, thrown somewhere across the room. It didn’t matter. Johnny had his mouth closed around the head of his cock, doing stuff that had Daniel gasping and moaning. And desperately wanting to thrust into that hot mouth. He spread his legs wider. Johnny dragged his tongue up the underside of his erection before taking the head back into his mouth, taking a little more than that in this time. He kept alternating; licking, sucking, kissing, swirling his tongue around his head and tasting the pre-cum leaking out. Daniel kept his hands buried in Johnny’s hair, his legs trembling in his effort to keep still while all sorts of moans and groans and gasps escaped him, as he pleaded for more. Then Johnny took him in as far as he could. Daniel threw back his head with a deep, guttural moan, yanking on Johnny’s hair. Up and down, Johnny kept working, driving Daniel closer to release, not even bothered when Daniel couldn’t hold back and bucked his hips. Daniel hated the asshole Johnny dated before, hated him for having gotten to experience this from Johnny.</p>
<p>“God, Johnny, I’m gonna-” Daniel bit back a groan.</p>
<p>Johnny pulled back, smirking up at him. “Can’t have that, now can we?” He lifted Daniel’s hips, spreading his cheeks. “Not when there’s more fun to be had.”</p>
<p>Daniel arched his back with a sharp intake of breath as Johnny’s tongue nudged at his hole. Holy shit, he was going to have sex with Johnny Lawrence! His seventeen-year-old self would be having a complete mental meltdown if he knew this was even in the realm of possibility.</p>
<p>Without giving any warning, Daniel flipped their positions, throwing Johnny down on his back as he climbed on top of him. Johnny blinked up dumbly by the sudden development. Leaning down, Daniel stole a slow, languid kiss, Johnny eagerly responding to it.</p>
<p>“Lube?” Daniel questioned with barely a hair’s breadth between their mouths.</p>
<p>Johnny hurriedly twisted and reached over to the stand next to the bed. After some rifling around in the drawer, he came back with a tube. Daniel grabbed it from him as soon as Johnny was resting on his back again. He smirked down at Johnny staring up at him. Popping open the cap, he smeared a good amount of the lube over his fingers. Then he reached back, circling a finger around his hole a few times before sinking the finger inside. Johnny groaned, hands sliding up then dragging his fingers back down Daniel’s thighs, nails scrapping over his skin as he watched Daniel stretch himself. It was hardly his first time doing something like this, but he almost lost control with Johnny’s eyes on him the whole time. His eyes flashed a glowing blue. He growled. He licked his lips in anticipation. It just made everything feel more intensely. Or maybe it was just Johnny’s emotions spilling into him. </p>
<p>“Fuck, Daniel,” Johnny groaned when Daniel was already three fingers in and nearly ready. “Your eyes! Damn, your eyes are gorgeous.”</p>
<p>A breathy laugh erupted out of him. His eyes half lidded as he pulled his fingers free, almost wanting to whine at the loss of having something inside him. “Just my eyes?” he teased as he searched for the tube of lube.</p>
<p>“Your fucking everything is gorgeous,” Johnny corrected. He groaned, thrusting up into Daniel’s hand as he smeared lube over his cock. “But your eyes are really beautiful.”</p>
<p>When he was ready, Daniel held Johnny’s erection against his hole then slowly sank down onto it. They both groaned. Johnny grabbed his hips in a bruising grip while Daniel arched his back, not even carrying if Johnny left marks on him. Daniel waited a moment, getting used to the feel of the hard, thick cock inside him. Then he took in a little more, gradually, adjusting along the way, until Johnny was fully seated inside him. They stayed like that, neither moving outside of their heavy breathing.</p>
<p>“Feels so good,” Johnny groaned. His hands glided over Daniel’s skin, like he was memorizing lean muscles and every scar marring his tanned skin. He pulled Daniel down over him, capturing his mouth in another searing kiss.</p>
<p>Daniel lifted his hips until only the head of Johnny’s cock was inside him. Then he slammed back down. Johnny broke the kiss as he threw back his head. Daniel grinned before he kissed along Johnny’s jawline. He worked his hips up and down, adjusting and shifting with each thrust. Johnny’s hands roamed over his body. Their mouths kept finding each other.</p>
<p>“There!” Daniel gasped, sparks of white blooming in his vision. He drove down on the cock inside him while Johnny’s hips thrust up to meet him, hitting against his prostrate each time. “Johnny!” He drew his lower lip into his mouth, biting down on it as the heat built, pooling inside him, his erection swelling to bursting as their bodies worked together, moving faster and faster. “Shit! So good!” He panted, gasping for breath.</p>
<p>Johnny wrapped his hand around Daniel’s erection, stroking it in time with their thrusting. Daniel groaned. He couldn’t last too much longer. Everything was crashing over him, like all his senses were dialed up to a hundred.</p>
<p>“Bite me!”</p>
<p>“Huh?” Johnny’s movements faltered at the command.</p>
<p>“I know you want to.” Daniel kissed him. “I can feel it.” Another kiss. “You want to. I want you to.” He kissed him again, tugging Johnny’s lower lip between his teeth. “Bite me.”</p>
<p>With a deep growl, Johnny flipped them over. He buried his nose into the crook of Daniel’s neck, sniffing in deeply. Daniel gasped, his heart beating wildly in his chest. With the other werewolves he had been with, they always avoided his neck. He knew why. He understood what it meant to let a werewolf bite him like this.</p>
<p>Johnny licked up the length of his neck, and Daniel shuddered, wrapping his legs around Johnny’s waist. He sucked and nipped, dragging blunted teeth over his smooth flesh. Daniel tilted his head, giving him better access. He was so close. He needed Johnny to do it. Now! His nails raked down Johnny’s broad back.</p>
<p>“I’m yours, Johnny,” Daniel whispered, and Johnny released a possessive growl, sending thrills of heat coursing through Daniel. “I’ve always been yours. Always. Show me I’m yours.”</p>
<p>Then Johnny latched onto where neck met shoulder and bit down, hard. Daniel’s eyes snapped open. His shout quickly turned into a deep moan as his cum split all over their stomachs and Johnny’s hand. Johnny bit down even harder, though not enough for his human teeth to break skin. After another couple of shallow thrusts, Daniel moaned again, feeling a second climax as Johnny filled him. They stayed like that as they came down, hearts beating wildly as they breathed heavily. Johnny slowly pulled back, letting go of Daniel’s shoulder as his soft cock slid out of him. He dropped onto his back, lying beside him on the bed.</p>
<p>“Wow,” Johnny breathed out after a moment.</p>
<p>Daniel stared up at the ceiling with a dopey smile and a pleasant buzz humming through him. “Never had it feel like that.”</p>
<p>“Good?” Johnny turned his head.</p>
<p>“Fan-fucking-tastic.” Daniel rolled over, pressing into Johnny’s side. An arm snaked under and around his body, holding him close. They were quiet for a while, Daniel resting his head on Johnny’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“I think I have an answer to your question.”</p>
<p>Daniel blinked then lifted his gaze to Johnny. “What question?”</p>
<p>“Why I was happy when we met at the mini mart.”</p>
<p>“Oh? What’s the answer?” Daniel chewed on his lip, worrying over the answer.</p>
<p>“Things were kind of shit at that moment. I hated the band I was in, so I was in a pissy mood having to deal with them. Then I saw you, and it was just like a light.” Johnny huffed a laugh. “There you were, like no time had passed, and I thought back to the tournament, handing the trophy over to you. And I think, some part of me just said, ‘maybe this time we could be friends.’ Then you opened your damn mouth.”</p>
<p>“Hey!” Daniel protested, smacking his hand lightly against Johnny’s chest.</p>
<p>“You know you say shit to piss me off.” Johnny pinched Daniel’s side, making him squirm. “You can’t deny it.”</p>
<p>“Jerk,” Daniel muttered, but he couldn’t actually deny it. In high school, he did say shit to provoke Johnny. “Whatever. We should get some rest. Work, interview, stuff. It’s pretty late already.”</p>
<p>“Right,” Johnny mumbled in agreement. He pressed a kiss to Daniel’s forehead. Then they both settled down to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny woke up in the morning with his face pressed into LaRusso’s neck and his arms wrapped tightly around him. He breathed in deeply, enjoying that familiar earthy pine smell, but now there was something else mingling with LaRusso’s scent. His scent. Johnny could smell himself on LaRusso, and it made him happy. Very happy. Something in his head kept saying LaRusso was his. He almost laughed at the thought, but he could still remember LaRusso’s words before they both came last night.</p>
<p>Johnny nudged his nose upward, relishing in their mixed scents. He latched his mouth around LaRusso’s earlobe. His hand splayed over soft skin covering the lean muscles of LaRusso’s chest. LaRusso let out a happy sigh, leaning back into Johnny.</p>
<p>“I like waking up like this,” LaRusso mumbled and turned his head so he could catch Johnny’s mouth in a lazy morning kiss.</p>
<p>Johnny pressed into him. This definitely beat waking up alone in his bed with a hangover. He almost grumbled at the memory that he couldn’t actually get drunk normally anymore. But maybe that was okay if his mornings were like this. He let his hand drift lower, marveling over the smooth skin broken by the rough lines of scars. He didn’t like what all the scars meant, hated to think about LaRusso getting hurt so much, but they certainly didn’t take away from his beauty.</p>
<p>LaRusso hummed into the kiss as he caught Johnny’s hand to stop his slow approach toward his groin. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready for work,” he mumbled against Johnny’s lips, not willing to pull too far away.</p>
<p>Johnny frowned as he flexed his fingers in slow short strokes over LaRusso’s stomach. “Why did you have to ruin this?” He huffed, his breath washing over LaRusso’s face. He might hate those rich assholes he did work for, but he needed to keep his job. He couldn’t afford to just blow off a day, even if it was tempting to just lay there in bed with LaRusso.</p>
<p>“I do regret it,” LaRusso admitted, biting his lower lip. Johnny grinned as he noted the scent of arousal in the air. “But I doubt you want to be late for work. And I need to get up and prepare for the interview later. I’ll make you breakfast.”</p>
<p>Johnny growled lightly, torn between wanting to stay there in bed but also food. His stomach made itself known with a loud rumbling. “Fine.” He rolled away from LaRusso, already frustrated with having to move away from him. And that was something he wouldn’t have imagined a couple of weeks ago. Before he came to the great epiphany of what his feelings really were for LaRusso.</p>
<p>Johnny climbed out of bed, not bothering with clothes as he strutted toward the door. Glancing over his shoulder, he smirked when he caught LaRusso watching him, very obviously staring at his bare ass.</p>
<p>“Enjoying the show?”</p>
<p>“Shut up!” LaRusso grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. His face burned a bright red.</p>
<p>Johnny laughed as he left the bedroom and entered the bathroom. After a quick piss and brushing his teeth, he stepped into the shower. Maybe he should have invited LaRusso to join him. He shook his head then lathered up his hair with shampoo. The shower wasn’t really that big, and it was probably better if he didn’t get distracted. LaRusso was right. Johnny didn’t want to be late for work. Mrs. Swanson kind of scared him. He frowned as he rinsed his hair. He should probably tell LaRusso about that whole conversation he overheard. Later, maybe. He didn’t want to make LaRusso worry about him going to work at a Hunter’s house. Maybe he could pass the job over to one of the other handymen, but he would still have to show up there today. It hardly seemed worth it to switch with someone if it was only for another day or two.</p>
<p>When he finished with his shower, Johnny dried off then made his way back to the bedroom. LaRusso was already gone. Listening closely from the hall, Johnny could hear noise from the kitchen. He grinned as he entered the bedroom. He wouldn’t have to rely on picking up breakfast on his way to work if LaRusso was going to be cooking for him. After he got dressed, he headed for the kitchen. The water was running in the bathroom as he passed. He huffed when he thought about LaRusso washing his scent off him. Then he shook that thought from his mind.</p>
<p>In the kitchen, Johnny found a plate of eggs and bacon sitting out for him, and a tall glass of orange juice. Grinning widely, he sat down and took a big bite off a strip of bacon. Could he convince LaRusso to make him lunch sometimes too? He didn’t want LaRusso thinking he only cared about his cooking skills, but honestly, it was nice having someone who cared enough to want to do stuff like that for him. He still couldn’t believe LaRusso took the time to clean the apartment, and used cleaning stuff that wouldn’t irritate his werewolf sense of smell.</p>
<p>Johnny was washing the dishes from breakfast when LaRusso came into the kitchen in a pair of comfy looking jeans and an old shirt with the silly design fading away from age. He leaned back against the counter, watching Johnny with a grin. After setting aside the last plate on the drying rack, Johnny turned to him, staring into his eyes. His dark brown eyes. He tilted his head, blinking as he remembered the details of last night. Vividly.</p>
<p>“Your eyes,” Johnny mumbled, stepping in closer.</p>
<p>A wrinkle creased LaRusso’s brow. “What about my eyes?” He frowned deeply. “You were going on about my eyes last night too.”</p>
<p>Johnny reached out, cupping LaRusso’s cheek as he ran his thumb under one eye, brushing over a small scar there. He didn’t like that scar. It was too close to LaRusso’s eye. “They were different last night.” Confusion remained in LaRusso’s eyes. “They were,” Johnny thought back to that moment again, “different. Not dark. They were, like, this honey whiskey glowing color.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” LaRusso’s eyes squinted, his brow furrowed more, and his frown pulled farther downward. “I – That’s – What?”</p>
<p>Johnny pulled his hand back. “I don’t know!” He threw his hands up in the air. “I know we were kind of letting hormones take over and all that, but your eyes differently did this glowy thing. It was kind of sexy. Your eyes were pretty like that.”</p>
<p>“Are you saying my eyes aren’t usually pretty?” And that was definitely a pout on LaRusso’s face, his lower lip pushing out just slightly.</p>
<p>“That is not what I was saying.” Johnny growled, closing his hands into fists at his sides. This was the problem with talking to LaRusso sometimes. He had to twist things to start a fight. “I like all,” he gestured at LaRusso’s body, “of you. Like, <i>a lot</i>. If that wasn’t clear to you last night. And I do like these big, Bambi brown eyes of yours. But there was also something about seeing them glow like that, that did things to me.” He frowned, leaning in toward LaRusso. “Are you saying it does nothing to you when my eyes glow?”</p>
<p>LaRusso flushed darkly and immediately turned his gaze away. “Maybe.” The soft mumble was easy for Johnny to hear. Then LaRusso sighed. “Sorry. I’ve never – No one’s ever told me my eyes did some weird glow thing.” He rolled his lip between his teeth in thought. “I have no idea what that could mean.”</p>
<p>“You would have a better idea about it than I would.” Johnny shrugged.</p>
<p>“I only just learned I could locate people based on their unique emotional signature. Before that, all I knew about my powers was identifying people’s emotions and how to put up mental guards so I’m not constantly bombarded by emotions.” LaRusso hugged his arms around his body, staring at the floor with a frown.</p>
<p>Johnny cupped his cheek again, encouraging LaRusso to lift his head. “Hey, it’s okay not to have all the answers. You don’t have to figure everything out. Or at least, you don’t have to stress yourself out about figuring everything out right away. It’s okay to take your time with it.”</p>
<p>LaRusso closed his eyes and leaned into Johnny’s hand. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Johnny’s mouth twitched into a small smirk. Then his gaze drifted downward, past LaRusso’s kissable lips to his long neck. His eyes locked on the rather obvious hickey there, and the lingering marks from his teeth. He swallowed, his mouth feeling dry.</p>
<p>“Why am I picking up guilt from you?” LaRusso frowned as he opened his eyes.</p>
<p>“I bit you last night.” Johnny’s mouth thinned. He didn’t want to hurt LaRusso, but it was hard to forget that moment and how it felt digging his teeth into the juncture between shoulder and throat. Swallowing, he fought back that desire to do it again.</p>
<p>LaRusso cupped his face with both hands then kissed him firmly. “I asked you to.” He smiled dreamily, perhaps remembering that moment too. “But,” he hesitated with a sour note of fear, “I probably should have talked about that with you before doing all of that.”</p>
<p>“Talked about what?” Johnny reached up, wrapping his hands around LaRusso’s wrists. That fear in the air was making him nervous. Why was LaRusso panicking about this?</p>
<p>“Um,” LaRusso swallowed, “you see, with werewolves, it’s pretty common for them to, uh, bite during sex. And, um, when they bite where you bit, it – well, it’s a mating bite.” His blush crept over his cheeks and down his neck. “It means the werewolf has claimed the other person as their mate.” His heart was beating so loudly. “I should have explained that to you so you could make that decision for yourself. I just – When we were,” he licked his lips, “having sex, it just came over me so suddenly. I just knew, right then, that I wanted you. I wanted the mating bite from you.”</p>
<p>Johnny stared, his eyes widened, trying to absorb everything LaRusso was telling him. “Uh, yeah, that would have been good, uh, to know.” Not that he hated the idea. He thought. Because he did like LaRusso, and he definitely liked the idea of LaRusso being his. But that information going into things would have been nice.</p>
<p>“Sorry.” LaRusso bowed his head, his feeling of being rejected overwhelming Johnny to the point of making the wolf in him whine. “I should have told you. I wasn’t thinking.” His hands pulled away from Johnny’s face, fingers curling into loose fists. “I understand if you’re mad. It wasn’t a full mating bite. You didn’t break skin, so it’ll fade.”</p>
<p>Johnny breathed out heavily through his nose as he leaned forward and buried his face into the side of LaRusso’s throat with the bite. “Next time, tell me the important shit first.” He brushed his lips over the bite mark, and LaRusso shuddered, moaning at the lightest of touches. A smirk stretched across his face, filing that reaction away in his mind. “Knowing now though,” he swiped his tongue over the mark, and LaRusso grabbed hold of his shoulders, like he needed the support to remain on his feet, “I would have still done it. You’re mine, right?”</p>
<p>“God, yes,” LaRusso groaned, pressing full body against Johnny.</p>
<p>“Good.” Johnny kissed the bite mark. Then, with his lips still brushing LaRusso’s throat, he mumbled, “Because I’m yours too.” He stepped back, and LaRusso had to grab hold of the counter behind him before his legs buckled under him. He smirked as he took in the sight of LaRusso: heavy breathing, the sweet scent of arousal in the air, his pupils blown wide. “Need any help with that?” His eyes darted downward, and the flush on LaRusso’s face darkened. “Because I should be heading off to work.”</p>
<p>“Jerk.” LaRusso huffed, but there was no heat in it.</p>
<p>Johnny stepped in closer, brushing LaRusso’s bangs out of his face. “You’ll come to the dinner thing tonight? Meet my bandmates?”</p>
<p>LaRusso rolled his eyes. “Of course, I’ll come.” He glared when Johnny smirked. “Though I do have another late shift at the mini mart tonight. So, depending on how long this dinner thing goes, I may have to duck out early.”</p>
<p>Johnny smiled, and LaRusso returned it. “Good.” He leaned forward, kissing him, short and chaste. “I’ll see you later. And good luck with the interview. But I bet you’ll nail it. No problem.”</p>
<p>LaRusso rolled his eyes but still smiled. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Johnny pulled back before he ended up deciding to just stay home the whole day with LaRusso. He grabbed his keys and wallet on his way to the door. Before he left, he glanced back, staring at LaRusso, who was biting his lower lip and looking entirely too tempting. He closed the door behind him then headed for his car.</p>
<p>Johnny drove over to Mrs. Swanson’s house. He was thankful the house wasn’t overwhelming with smells, especially the kinds that irritated his nose. But he was still nervous she might learn about what he was. Hopefully, Mr. Perkins wouldn’t make another appearance. Johnny parked his car at the house then got out and walked up to the front door. It opened not long after he rang the doorbell.</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson greeted him with a smile. “Come on in.” She stepped aside to allow him to step into the house.</p>
<p>“What do you need me to do today, Mrs. Swanson?” Johnny followed her from the front hall after she closed the door. She led him to a study toward the back of the house and gestured to one of the chairs by a fireplace. Johnny frowned at it. “Does it need to be fixed?”</p>
<p>She smiled like the question was amusing. “No, it’s there for you to sit.” She shut the study’s door, but she didn’t lock it. Johnny found that to be a small relief as he sat in the chair. Mrs. Swanson sat down opposite him, crossing one leg over the other. “I thought we should talk, Mr. Lawrence.”</p>
<p>“Are you dissatisfied with my work?” Johnny had a bad feeling prickling at the back of his neck.</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson shook her head. “No, you’re work is very good. This is about the conversation I had with Mr. Perkins yesterday.” She watched him closely, and Johnny was certain she took notice of the way he stiffened at the mention of the Hunter’s name.</p>
<p>“I don’t-”</p>
<p>“I know you were listening.” Mrs. Swanson leaned back in her chair, lacing her fingers together as her elbows rested on the armrests of the chair. “Werewolves have such great hearing, after all.”</p>
<p>Johnny sat stiffly, wondering if he could make it to the door and through the house before Mrs. Swanson, or some other Hunter who possibly was in the house, got him. Would he have to fight to escape? Would they use that as an excuse to kill him? But he hadn’t broken any rules, that he knew of. According to LaRusso, the Hunters should have no reason to kill him. Was a mating bite somehow against the rules? But how would they know about it? And LaRusso surely would have mentioned it if it was against the rules.</p>
<p>“You can relax, Mr. Lawrence.” Her smile was sweet, but Johnny didn’t know if he could trust it. Her heartbeat was calm and steady. She was relaxed, not appearing to be ready for a fight. “I wanted to speak with you to apologize.”</p>
<p>“Apologize?” Johnny repeated warily.</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson nodded. “You were brought into all of this against your will. Then, without provocation, you were attacked by my people. None of this should have happened to you. From my reports, you’ve been a very well behaved werewolf. I hear there’s an emissary living next door to you.”</p>
<p>Johnny narrowed his eyes, his mouth pursing, but he remained silent.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to attack you, or your emissary. I’m quite glad you were lucky enough to have someone living so close to you that could help you through all of this. I can only imagine how difficult your first shift was. Not knowing anything about the supernatural, only to be suddenly, and violently, thrust into the deep end of things. It’s hard. Others in your position might have been less lucky. It truly saddens me to see a newly bitten werewolf have to be killed because they lost control during their first shift.”</p>
<p>Johnny listened closely to her heart. She wasn’t lying. He could even smell the sorrow from her.</p>
<p>“Most packs make sure that new werewolves are watched and contained during their first shift to make sure they don’t attack an innocent person. But my understanding of things is that the Alpha who bit you went rogue.” Mrs. Swanson’s mouth twisted downward, a quiet fury in her eyes. “Things like that shouldn’t happen anymore. I’m sorry this happened to you. But as you have displayed excellent control over your wolf, my people have no reason to hunt you. I am very disappointed in Mr. Perkins for his behavior. I thought my people were better than that, but apparently a few rotten apples still find their way in.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded slowly. “I’m sorry I broke that one guy’s arm. And, uh, his nose.” He grimaced.</p>
<p>“Perhaps you can make that apology to him in person one day. He regretted being part of Mr. Perkins’ team. Please don’t fault him.”</p>
<p>“I only fault Mr. Perkins. The others seemed to have been following his orders. I know what that’s like.”</p>
<p>Mrs. Swanson smiled, a touch of relief in her eyes. “I hope going forward we can have better relations. I try to be on good terms with the supernatural in our town.”</p>
<p>“I’m just trying to make a living.” Johnny shrugged. “I don’t know about all this supernatural politics or whatever.”</p>
<p>“That’s what most want. Now,” she stood, “I believe I have some plumbing in the guest house that needs some fixing.”</p>
<p>Johnny smiled, a weight falling from his shoulders. “I can fix that.” He stood and followed her out of the study.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, you’ve never actually worked in sales before?”</p>
<p>Daniel swallowed, resisting the strong urge to shift in his seat, or fidget with his hands. His hands which were sweaty messes, and he kept trying to discreetly wipe them on his slacks without seeming to be a nervous wreck. He hated interviewing for jobs, no matter how many times he had to do it.</p>
<p>“No, sir,” Daniel answered, keeping his gaze on the man sitting behind the desk. “I’ve worked plenty with cars, mostly as a mechanic at auto repair shops. But I’m very interested in learning the sales side of things. I know I don’t have experience in that department, but I’m a hard worker and I pick things up fast.”</p>
<p>The man nodded as he looked over the application in his hands. He hummed for a couple of minutes, and Daniel got the impression that he was trying to make him sweat. Daniel swallowed again, but he kept his head up with the smile he used whenever he had to deal with the obnoxious country club members.</p>
<p>“Well, everything here looks good.” He lifted his gaze back to Daniel. There was something about his squinty eyes that Daniel didn’t particularly like. “Of course, you’ll have to go through some training. Starting Monday, you can work under Dennis. He’ll show you the ropes with sales.”</p>
<p>Daniel bit his tongue before he could ask about working under Amanda. He had a sinking suspicion that this guy didn’t exactly think highly of his female employees. But he also didn’t think it was wise to give any hint that he and Amanda were working on anything together behind the scenes. If he really needed it, he could always ask for advice from Amanda outside of work.</p>
<p>“And if things don’t work out there with you, we can always move you to the mechanics department.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded, still with the smile plastered on his face. “Sounds good to me, Mr. Cole.”</p>
<p>He smirked as he stood and held out his hand. “Welcome to the Cole family, Mr. Russo.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, sir.” Daniel stood and shook his hand. “It’s, uh, LaRusso.”</p>
<p>“That’s what I said.” Mr. Cole walked around his desk, slapping a hand down on Daniel’s shoulder before he guided him toward the door of his office. “I look forward to working with you.”</p>
<p>The door closed on him before Daniel could even respond. He stood there blinking at the door for a few seconds before turning away from it. The tension melted out of him. The interview process turned out better than he expected, though he still didn’t have a high opinion of Mr. Cole. He walked out to the sales floor and made his way to the exit. Before he could leave, someone caught him by the arm. He turned around then smiled when he saw Amanda.</p>
<p>“How did it go?” she asked as they walked outside.</p>
<p>“I’m starting Monday. I’ll be working under, uh,” Daniel thought back to the name Mr. Cole mentioned as they walked toward his car, “Dennis.”</p>
<p>Amanda made a face, her nose wrinkling and her mouth pursing. “Not the best salesman to work under.”</p>
<p>“Good thing I have you to help me if I need it.” Daniel grinned.</p>
<p>Amanda rolled her eyes but still smiled. “I bet you won’t even need my help. That’s how much faith I have in you.”</p>
<p>“Well, it’s all thanks to you that I even had this opportunity.” Daniel leaned against his car when they reached it. He was happy. This job meant he could probably ditch the mini mart job. Hopefully. “I guess we can celebrate my new job along with Johnny’s band.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Amanda lifted her eyebrows with a sly smirk. “Johnny asked you to that, did he?”</p>
<p>Daniel squinted his eyes as he frowned. “Did you think he wouldn’t?”</p>
<p>Amanda rolled her shoulder. “I guess you could say I’m little surprised he followed through with it. Then again,” her gaze flicked downward, toward his neck, and Daniel stiffened, “it seems you had a pretty good night last night.” She stepped in closer, smirking as she whispered into his ear. “You did a good job covering it up, but there’s a bit of makeup on your collar.”</p>
<p>Daniel flushed darkly, his hand automatically moving to cover where Johnny had bit his neck. “It, uh – We talked. Last night.”</p>
<p>Amanda laughed as she stepped back to give him space. “That’s a lot more than talking.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t intend for things to turn out like that,” Daniel mumbled, and he wondered if a person could die from blushing too hard.</p>
<p>“I’m happy for you, Daniel.” Amanda placed a hand on his arm. “For both of you. You work well together, and well, I think you’re just the kind of person Johnny needs in his life.”</p>
<p>“We made each other’s lives miserable.” Daniel bowed his head with a small shake, a soft smile spreading on his face. “But now that we’ve had this time to get to know each other, I wish we could have been friends sooner.”</p>
<p>Amanda smiled, a sad, sort of, understanding smile. “Sometimes, you have to make the long, hard journey before realizing what a person means to you.”</p>
<p>Daniel bobbed his head, but he knew the journey wasn’t over. He sighed, a weary exhaustion sinking into his bones. “I won’t be able to relax until I find out who sent those Hunters after Johnny.” He touched a hand to his side where the wound was simply another scar among the many others he had received over the years.</p>
<p>“Hm.” Amanda folded her arms as her mouth pressed thin. “Yes, that is a great concern. I haven’t had any trouble with the Hunters here. Maybe that’s mostly because I’ve gone under their radar until now.” She sighed and shifted her weight. “But I assumed they followed the usual code. You know, they don’t hunt down the supernatural unless they pose a threat to innocent people.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think this Hunter, Mr. Perkins, cares about the code.” Daniel raked a hand through his hair. “My guess is he just hates all supernatural creatures. And if he gets offered enough money, he’ll willingly break the code.”</p>
<p>Amanda nodded, deep in thought. “And you have no leads on who might have hired him to go after Johnny? Why would this person want to force Johnny to break werewolf laws?”</p>
<p>“Those are the questions.” Daniel bit down on his lip, rolled it between his teeth, then pushed a heavy breath out through his nose. “The thing is, not many people would have known about Johnny in the first place. He was literally bitten the night before the attack. At that point, the only ones who knew about Johnny were me, Chozen who definitely wouldn’t have hired some Hunters, and the Alpha who bit him.”</p>
<p>“No one else?” Amanda lifted an eyebrow, and the skepticism in her eyes didn’t surprise him. Daniel felt it too. “There has to be someone you’re overlooking.”</p>
<p>Daniel pondered over what happened the night Johnny was bit. “I mean, I passed some people coming out of the club when I was carrying Johnny to my car. But they were drunk off their asses and didn’t even really look at us. I can’t imagine they would be the ones behind this.” He growled, dragging both hands through his hair and pulling on the strands. “Who else is there?” His brow furrowed, thinking even harder about the whole situation. He should have had this answer ages ago. But he allowed other things distract from the problem. “Fuck!” His hands dropped to his sides, and his eyes went wide.</p>
<p>“What?” Amanda jolted at the sudden exclamation. “Did you figure something out?”</p>
<p>“I’m so stupid! It’s so obvious!”</p>
<p>“What did you figure out?”</p>
<p>“Chozen caught the rogue Alpha. He brought her to the Alpha of this area for judgement.” Daniel stared at Amanda, and he wanted to punch himself in the face. “He would have had to explain the situation to the Alpha. Shit!” He yanked open the driver’s side door. “I have to go talk to this bastard.”</p>
<p>“Wait!” Amanda caught his arm before Daniel could climb into the car. “You can’t just rush in with something like this. You can’t just confront the Alpha with no plan or backup.”</p>
<p>Daniel hesitated at the worry he saw in her eyes, the concern he felt flowing from her when he dropped his guards just a little. “Amanda, I have to talk to him.” He held her gaze with determination in his eyes. “I have to do this before he tries to send someone else after Johnny. I have to find out why he’s doing this. And I have to stop him. I’m not letting him doing anything to hurt Johnny. I <i>can’t</i> let Johnny be hurt again.”</p>
<p>“I get that, Daniel. I really do. I don’t want Johnny being hurt either.” Amanda squeezed her hand around his arm, begging him with her eyes to listen to her. “But it’s reckless to meet with the Alpha alone. I can probably get away in a couple of hours. Wait for me?”</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head as he pulled Amanda’s hand from his arm. “I’m just going to talk with him. Everything’s going to be fine.”</p>
<p>“Daniel,” Amanda said sternly with a hard glare, “if everything’s going to be fine, then wait for me.”</p>
<p>Daniel took her face in his hands then kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll see you at dinner tonight.” Then he climbed into his car and closed the door. He refused to look back to see the expression on Amanda’s face. Maybe he was being reckless, and stupid, but he couldn’t wait. He had to do this now.</p>
<p>Daniel drove back to the apartment and rushed inside. He headed straight for the bedroom, stripping out of the nice clothes he wore to the interview. He changed into more comfortable clothes. Clothes he could fight in without his movements being prohibited. Clothes he didn’t care about getting ruined in a fight. He hoped this confrontation with the Alpha didn’t lead to a fight, but he knew it was a high possibility. This Alpha, if he was right, sent Hunters after Johnny. Daniel might not understand the reason yet, but he didn’t trust this Alpha at all.</p>
<p>After digging around in his duffle bag, Daniel found the notebook he shoved in there while packing. The address was still there, in Chozen’s handwriting. He ripped out the page before tossing the notebook aside. Checking that his weapons were securely in place, he regretted not picking up some of the other weapons he made from Mr. Miyagi’s house. A single silver dagger wasn’t much if he was going up against an Alpha, and most probably an entire pack of werewolves. He still hoped fighting wouldn’t be necessary.</p>
<p>When he was ready, Daniel stormed out of the apartment and back to his car. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel at every stop light. Every second that ticked by made him more anxious to just get there already. Traffic had him grinding his teeth and tightening his hands around the steering wheel. It was like everyone was purposely going at a snail’s pace just to frustrate and delay him.</p>
<p>But eventually he turned off a main road and onto a long drive with dense trees to either side. It didn’t come as a surprise that the Alpha would have the pack house out in the middle the woods, far removed from densely populated areas. It made it easier for the werewolves to shift and run around in the woods without being caught. He wondered if Johnny would like to get a place out here, whenever they could afford something like that. But he shook his head, ridding those thoughts from his mind as he parked his car in front of the house. He needed to keep his focus now that he was about to enter the Alpha’s pack house.</p>
<p>Daniel climbed out of the car, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. He didn’t care if the noise called the attention of every werewolf living in this house. They probably already knew of his arrival just from hearing his car speeding up the drive. He took the front steps two at a time then pounded his fist against the front door. Only a minute later, the door opened. Daniel glared at the tall, board shouldered man who cocked his eyebrow.</p>
<p>“I want to speak to your Alpha,” Daniel announced without ceremony, his voice barely containing the anger he felt.</p>
<p>He leaned forward, nostrils flaring as he scented the air. “You don’t seem like one of those idiot Hunters.” He sniffed again, and his mouth twisted downward. “You carry a wolf’s scent on you.”</p>
<p>Daniel’s mouth pressed together as the werewolf’s eyes flashed golden. “Your Alpha. Now.”</p>
<p>The werewolf stepped back, jerking the door open wider for him. “He doesn’t like surprise visitors. Just so you know.” He closed the door after Daniel was inside.</p>
<p>If he wasn’t in a furious mood, Daniel might have actually taken his time to look around the place as he followed the werewolf up the stairs. He tried to remain calm, despite his anger. The werewolf kept throwing him glances, sometimes appearing to be on the verge of saying something before deciding against it and keeping silent. They arrived in front of a door on the second floor, and the werewolf knocked twice. If there was a response, Daniel didn’t hear, but the werewolf must have heard something because he opened the door a moment later and gestured for him to enter. He followed Daniel into the office, pulling the door closed behind him.</p>
<p>As far as offices went, it didn’t seem like anything special. There was a nice carpet laid out in the center. One wall had bookshelves built into it, each shelf crammed with books. It was the other side of the room that gave him pause. A large display case filled almost the entire length of the wall. There were photos and trophies inside it. Daniel swallowed thickly, his throat feeling tight as he recognized those trophies. All Valley karate champion trophies. He snapped his head around when he heard the swivel of the chair behind the desk. His heart stopped.</p>
<p>“The great Daniel LaRusso.” Kreese rose slowly from his seat, and it was like a nightmare in Daniel’s head, remembering when he thought the bastard was dead only for him to literally pop up out of nowhere to prove he was anything but. “And what do I owe this,” he smirked as he walked around the desk, “great pleasure?”</p>
<p>Right. He came here for a reason. Daniel narrowed his eyes in a hard glare as he closed the distance between them. A lowering of his mental guards told him the beta werewolf was tense, worrying about a potential attack on his Alpha. His earlier hope of this not resulting in a fight went right out the window the moment he saw Kreese’s damn face.</p>
<p>“You,” Daniel growled, placing himself right in front of Kreese. His anger thrummed through him, and he balled his hands into tight fists. “You’re behind this?”</p>
<p>“Behind what?” Kreese leaned closer, his smirk widening. Werewolf senses weren’t needed to smell the heavy stench of cigars on him. It was enough to cause a gag reflex.</p>
<p>“<i>You</i> sent that rogue Alpha after Johnny.” Daniel didn’t even need to question it. He could see it now. Kreese always was a sick bastard. “That was your whole plan. Get a rogue Alpha to break the rules and bite Johnny so you wouldn’t have to. You knew the rogue Alpha would be brought to you for judgement and you could just kill her and eliminate that connection to you.” The slight increase in Kreese’s smirk only enraged him further. “Then you sent some fucking Hunters after him so he would attack them during his first shift. You could have gotten him <i>killed</i>!”</p>
<p>Kreese shifted a step closer, the smirk never leaving his face. “Not Johnny. He would have torn those shits apart.”</p>
<p>Daniel frowned, a sickness stirring in his stomach. “Another loose end taken care of.” His nails bit into his palms as he squeezed his fists. “You really had this all so well planned out. After he attacked some Hunters, possibly killed them, Johnny would be brought to you. And you would have kept him trapped under your thumb.” Seeing all the pieces fall into place, he was filled with disgust.</p>
<p>How long had Kreese been planning this? How did he even find a rogue Alpha willing to give up their life for his stupid scheme? Or did he lie and tell the rogue Alpha she would be allowed to go free afterward? But he couldn’t have gotten away with a lie like that. The rogue Alpha would have heard the lie. Even if he managed to lie convincingly, the rogue Alpha should have known that Kreese would never leave her alive when he wanted the person she would bite. Kreese would have to kill her to break the bond between Alpha and beta. With Johnny considered packless, Kreese thought he would easily assert his Alpha command on Johnny to drag him unwillingly into his pack.</p>
<p>“It’s never going to happen,” Daniel growled with a dark glare. “Johnny will never join you.”</p>
<p>“I’m impressed.” Kreese shifted his weight back on his heels. The ever present smirk was seriously pissing Daniel off. “I didn’t think you had enough brains to piece everything together. But it doesn’t matter. You won’t be around to warn Johnny about anything.”</p>
<p>If he hadn’t lowered his guards before, Daniel might have missed the shift in their moods. He dodged the fist Kreese threw at his head then kicked out with his leg, shoving Kreese back into his desk. Ripping his silver dagger from its sheath, he spun around and threw it at the werewolf sneaking up on him. The blade buried itself in the werewolf’s shoulder. His howl bounced off the walls. Fuck! Daniel had to get out of here. He didn’t know how many other werewolves were currently in the house, but he definitely couldn’t fight off all of them. Shoving the werewolf out of his way, he rushed for the door as the body hit the floor with a thud. He yanked the door open, but Kreese slammed into him from behind. The door shut with a bang. Daniel wheezed; the air crushed out of his lungs. Footsteps thundered somewhere outside, growing louder in their approach.</p>
<p>“Oh, I don’t think so, Danny boy.” Kreese flipped him around and shoved him into the door again. Daniel’s head bounced off it, and he saw stars briefly. Kreese was smirking again when Daniel’s vision cleared. “You see, I can’t allow you to tell Johnny anything. But there’s also someone who very much wants to see you again.”</p>
<p>Daniel paled, his blood running cold. “You-”</p>
<p>Kreese grabbed his neck, squeezing tightly to cut him off with a choking gasp. He leaned in as Daniel clawed at the hand, desperate for air. “You see, Terry put in a nice little backdoor in your head. On the off chance that you managed to escape and learn to use your powers, he wanted to make sure he could always get to you.”</p>
<p>“Stop!” Daniel changed tactics, giving up on prying the hand from his neck. He shoved at Kreese, punched at him, but Kreese caught one of Daniel’s wrists, pinning it to the door. Then he pressed into his body, trapping him against the door. Daniel dug his nails into his throat, but Kreese barely flinched in pain.</p>
<p>“Lucky for you, Terry told me exactly how to get into that stubborn head of yours.”</p>
<p>Daniel fought with all he had to throw Kreese off him. The weight holding him wouldn’t budge. He tried to tear his gaze away, but it was like some force kept him staring right into Kreese’s demented eyes. The edges of his vision turned black. His panicked breaths grew shallow. He tried to shout, scream at Kreese to stop, but he could only make pathetic wheezes. Kreese’s cruel laughter was the last thing he heard as the darkness swept through his vision, leaving him in an empty void without any of his senses.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny entered his apartment with a tired yawn after a day of hard work. Mrs. Swanson knowing about him turned out to be less scary than he thought. She didn’t take to hovering around him as he worked. She admitted she used yesterday to monitor his behavior and decided he seemed in control enough of his wolf not to be a threat. As long as he didn’t go feral and start murdering people, he had nothing to worry about from her Hunters.</p>
<p>Except for Mr. Perkins. Johnny didn’t trust that man at all. Mr. Perkins would kill innocent werewolves for money, though it sounded like Mr. Perkins didn’t look at any supernatural creature as innocent. That kind of thinking disgusted him.</p>
<p>As he walked through the apartment, Johnny frowned. It was quiet. He thought LaRusso would be home by now. The interview at the dealership couldn’t have lasted this long. Maybe he went out to do stuff. Johnny walked into the bedroom and paused. LaRusso’s clothing, which Johnny assumed were what he wore to the interview, lay strewn on the floor. One duffle bag sat open, and a notebook was thrown on top of it. LaRusso took the time to clean up the apartment and kept his own clothes neatly put away. Why would he suddenly throw his stuff around carelessly? Was he in a hurry for something? Johnny sniffed the air and frowned. Anger? What was LaRusso angry about? Did the interview not go well? He shook his head, unable to imagine that.</p>
<p>Amanda did complain about her boss being kind of a dick. Johnny would add stupid to that if her boss decided not to hire LaRusso.</p>
<p>Johnny grabbed some clean clothes and changed, not wanting to go out in grubby, dirty work clothes. After he was dressed, he combed his fingers through his hair as he walked out of his bedroom. He barely made it down the hall before someone knocked on the door. When he opened it, he smiled at Amanda, but it quickly melted away as he smelled a heavy bitterness of worry in the air. Dread settled in him.</p>
<p>“What is it? What happened? What’s wrong?” Johnny swallowed back a keening whine, anxiety creeping over his skin like little pin pricks.</p>
<p>“Is Daniel here?” Amanda held her arms crossed around her waist, perhaps to keep her hands from fidgeting. The action didn’t help the panic spiking in Johnny. Amanda wasn’t one to act this worried about something.</p>
<p>“No.” Johnny’s brow furrowed. “Why? What happened? Did something go wrong with the interview?”</p>
<p>Amanda shook her head. “The interview went fine. He’s supposed to start on Monday. But, Johnny,” she reached out, grabbing his arm, “he said he was going to meet the pack Alpha.”</p>
<p>“What?” Johnny blinked, shock taking over briefly before anger hit him. “Why?” LaRusso should know Johnny wanted nothing to do with some random Alpha. Johnny understood the whole werewolf needing a pack thing, but he didn’t need to join the Alpha’s pack. LaRusso was his pack. Amanda was his pack. The Alpha could shove his pack up his ass for all Johnny cared.</p>
<p>“Because he thinks the Alpha is the one that sent the Hunters after you.” Amanda frowned, squeezing his arm. “I told him to wait for me, but he said he needed to speak to him immediately. And I couldn’t just take off work. Cole would just love that excuse to fire me.”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head, covering her hand with his own. “I don’t blame you for worrying about your job.” He knew how hard Amanda worked, and he didn’t want her throwing it all away when she was so close to achieving her goal. “But damn it!” He ground his teeth, a growl working its way up his throat. LaRusso always was a reckless, stubborn idiot. No matter how dangerous or dumb an idea was, he didn’t think twice about jumping in, even at great risk to his own wellbeing. “We have to go get that idiot.”</p>
<p>“I don’t even know who this Alpha is, much less where he lives.” Amanda followed Johnny into his apartment as he stomped away from her.</p>
<p>“LaRusso gave me the address, remember?” Johnny reached the kitchen and stared at the door to the refrigerator where the crumpled note was pinned. Thinking he would never have reason to visit the Alpha, he had balled it up and tossed it away. LaRusso must have found it during his cleaning spree and stuck it to the refrigerator. Just in case. He could almost hear LaRusso saying those words. Johnny only wished the “just in case” wasn’t because LaRusso was dumb enough to go alone to the Alpha. If that Alpha did anything to hurt LaRusso, Johnny was going to tear him apart.</p>
<p>“Johnny,” Amanda said, her tone cautious as she kept some distance between them. “I know you’re worried about Daniel, but going in angry is a bad idea.”</p>
<p>Johnny turned a frown on her until it occurred to him that he unintentionally shifted his eyes and teeth. Screwing his eyes shut, he focused on breathing, deep inhale and slow exhale. He thought about LaRusso, the way his presence helped to keep him calm. When he felt the fangs retreat and his eyes return to normal, he opened his eyes again.</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Johnny mumbled.</p>
<p>Amanda shook her head. “I know you’re worried about him. I <i>know</i> how important he is to you. But right now, we need to stay focused and clear minded on rescuing him. Anger is a strong emotion, but it’s a reckless one. It leads to making mistakes.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know.” Johnny eyed her curiously. She knew how important LaRusso was to him? Did that mean LaRusso blabbed about what happened last night? Then he remembered the bite mark he left on LaRusso’s neck. Heat flushed over his cheeks. “You, uh, saw it then?”</p>
<p>“Daniel might know how to cover up stuff like that with makeup,” Amanda smirked ruefully, “but someone with a keen skill of observation would notice it.”</p>
<p>Johnny swallowed thickly, even the tips of his ears turning red. Then he shook his head. Why should he be embarrassed? So what if Amanda knew about them? And anyway, there was a far more important and pressing matter to deal with at the moment.</p>
<p>“We’re wasting time.” Johnny walked past her on his way toward the door. “I’m still mad, but I’m not in a blind rage anymore. Let’s go find this bastard Alpha.”</p>
<p>“I want to hold onto the hope that I’m just overreacting.” Amanda followed him out of the apartment. “Maybe Daniel just got caught up having a lovely chat with a very nice and understanding Alpha and lost track of time. It could happen,” she added when Johnny shot her a glare as he locked the door. “But I know that’s just wishful thinking. Rather poor wishful thinking. But I’d rather think like that than focus on all the ways Daniel could have gotten hurt.”</p>
<p>Johnny bobbed his head as they walked to his car. He could understand what Amanda meant, but he, unfortunately, couldn’t stop worrying about all the worst case scenarios playing in his mind. When he reached his car, he gave the parking area a quick once over. LaRusso’s car was nowhere in sight. Johnny ground his teeth, unlocking the doors and dropped down hard into the driver’s seat. LaRusso <i>needed</i> to be okay.</p>
<p>“Let me see it.” Amanda snatched the slip of paper with the address on it from Johnny’s hand. Johnny flicked his gaze toward her as he drove away from the apartment complex. Her eyes glowed silver as she stared at the paper, murmuring something he couldn’t understand under her breath. “Okay.” She closed her eyes, and when they opened again, they were back to normal. “I know the fastest way to get there. Take the next left.”</p>
<p>Johnny followed her instructions. His grip kept tightening and loosening around the steering wheel. Why did LaRusso go alone? Why was he so stubborn? But, of course, he wouldn’t be LaRusso if he acted any other way. And even if he thought LaRusso was being a complete idiot, Johnny had to admit he liked those things about him. LaRusso, time and again, jumped into danger to protect <i>him</i>. Johnny felt a warmth in his chest. So few people in his life cared enough about him to do that. He knew his ex-Cobra brothers would have his back in any situation. Amanda also showed she would step in to protect him. But this damn loud mouthed Jersey punk who had captured his attention the second he saw him brought out a completely different feeling from the others. Because they were falling in love with each other.</p>
<p>But Johnny also hated it. He hated it because he didn’t want to see LaRusso getting hurt again. Even for him.</p>
<p>LaRusso would continue to do it, though, even if Johnny tried to convince him to be less reckless.</p>
<p>Johnny parked his car outside a big house situated in the middle of a wooded area. Amanda smelled of worry, but her expression was strong and determined. Whatever they were about to walk into, she was prepared to do everything to get LaRusso out safely. Johnny cut the engine, and they climbed out of the car. Before they could even approach the front door, three men came out of the house. They were all big, board shouldered men. They had the muscles of men who kept in shape and knew how to fight. Johnny assumed they were werewolves too. But he was distracted when he scented the air. It was fading, but it was definitely LaRusso’s scent. And it was tinged with anger.</p>
<p>“A wolf without a pack.” One of the men stepped forward, flashing golden eyes at him. “What business do you have here?”</p>
<p>“I need to speak with your Alpha.” Johnny didn’t look at the man, didn’t bother to flash his own eyes back at him. He stared past the men to the house, searching for any signs of the Alpha or LaRusso.</p>
<p>“Seeking to join our pack?” The man’s mouth twitched into a cocky smirk.</p>
<p>“Hey, he brought a magic user,” one of the other men whispered, but he honestly shouldn’t have bothered. Johnny’s werewolf hearing picked it up easily.</p>
<p>“I don’t really care about your pack.” Johnny folded his arms. “Just get your damn Alpha out here.” He watched the restlessness grow among the three men, clearly disliking his disrespect toward their Alpha. Johnny didn’t care. These men were irrelevant to him. Before they could say more, the front door opened again. He snapped his gaze toward it and froze. Then he snarled, his eyes flashing and his fangs descending as he watched the man saunter down the steps with a cigar trapped between his smirking lips. Beside him, Amanda smelled of confusion.</p>
<p>“Johnny Lawrence.” Kreese pulled the cigar from his mouth, letting out a slow stream of smoke. “I wondered how long it would take you to show up. It’s understandable. A wolf can only survive so long before he needs to find an Alpha and a pack to belong to.”</p>
<p>Johnny stepped forward. Amanda stayed back, and he was glad for that. He wanted to face Kreese on his own. “How long have you been planning this? You really thought you could get some other Alpha to turn me and I would come running to you?”</p>
<p>Kreese tilted his head, cocking an eyebrow. “I usually prefer to give the bite after my boys turn eighteen. I would have offered it to you if you hadn’t abandoned me after the tournament.”</p>
<p>“Abandoned?” Johnny growled, closing his hands into fists. “You tried to <i>kill</i> me!”</p>
<p>Kreese dropped his cigar onto the ground, crushing it under his boot. “A misunderstanding, I assure you.” He lifted his gaze back up to Johnny. “You were going to be my masterpiece. I trained specifically to join the pack. You were perfect in every way.” Then his expression twisted into a furious snarl. His eyes glowed blood red. “Until that little punk came along to ruin everything.”</p>
<p>“Maybe for you,” Johnny returned bitterly. Kreese was really going to call choking him nearly to death a misunderstanding? “Where is LaRusso?”</p>
<p>Kreese narrowed his eyes then stepped in closer. He sniffed, and his lips drew back to show off his sharp fangs. “His scent is all over you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Johnny smirked, smug at the rage in Kreese’s eyes, “it is.” Then his mouth thinned. “Now tell me where he is.”</p>
<p>Kreese shrugged his shoulders. The smugness in his eyes earned a low growl from Johnny. “I haven’t seen him since the tournament.”</p>
<p>“I can still <i>smell</i> him here.”</p>
<p>“Well, you are a newly turned wolf. You might still need some more time to properly learn to control your senses. Having an Alpha,” a strange growl entered Kreese’s voice, and Johnny flinched at the compulsion sweeping through him, “can help you learn everything you need to know.”</p>
<p>Johnny squeezed his eyes shut, growling and snarling against the sudden urge to bow his head and submit. When he snapped his eyes open, they glowed again. “You’ll <i>never</i> be my Alpha. You’re the last person I would ever bow down to. I don’t need your fucking pack. I have my own.”</p>
<p>“A pack?” Kreese snorted. “And who is this pack?” He looked past Johnny and frowned. “A weak emissary? Not really much of a pack there, Johnny boy.”</p>
<p>“She’s anything but weak.” Johnny’s eye twitched at what he used to think of as a term of endearment from a father figure. Now it just made him sick. “Where is LaRusso? I want you to bring him to me right now.”</p>
<p>“He’s not here anymore.” Kreese gripped the lapels of his coat like he would his gi. “I’m afraid you’ve long missed your opportunity of saving him from his fate.”</p>
<p>“What fate?” Amanda asked, putting strength in her voice, but every werewolf could hear that slight tremor.</p>
<p>Johnny growled as his nails bit into his palms. His breathing turned into harsh pants. Right now, even thinking of LaRusso wouldn’t be enough to calm the rage in him. He remembered the words he read in LaRusso’s notebook. The page written by someone else. The one that detailed what happened to people made into a vampire’s consort. He wouldn’t allow that to happen to LaRusso.</p>
<p>“You!” Johnny swung his fist. Kreese blocked it with ease. The three werewolves launched forward to join the fight to protect their Alpha. Amanda flung out an arm and something spread out, creating a large circle around her, Johnny and Kreese. The other werewolves were repelled by whatever she did. Kreese landed a punch to his gut. Johnny swept his feet out from under him, and Kreese hit the ground with a grunt. A laugh belted out of Kreese as he grinned up at Johnny.</p>
<p>“You really think you can win against me?” Kreese slowly climbed to his feet. “I’m an <i>Alpha</i>!”</p>
<p>“I don’t give two fucks about what you are!”</p>
<p>“Johnny!” Amanda carefully touched his arm, wary of him attacking her in his current state of mind. “If Daniel really isn’t here, we’re just wasting time.”</p>
<p>Johnny knew she had a point, but he also wanted to tear Kreese apart. “I want to know where LaRusso is right now. Where did Silver take him?”</p>
<p>Kreese’s mouth stretched into a cruel smirk. “He told you that story, did he? Did he tell you how much he enjoyed being taught by Terry? How he liked having all of Terry’s attention on him? Being touched by Terry?” His smirk grew each time Johnny flinched and snarled at Silver’s name. “What about how he enjoyed it when he punched some loser at a club and made his nose bleed?”</p>
<p>A roar ripped from Johnny, echoing through the woods, as he launched himself at Kreese. The words were lies. And even if there was some truth in them, Johnny was still going to rip him to shreds. He flew back, hitting the ground, and he stared up dumbly at Amanda. Her brow was creased, clearly straining to maintain whatever she was doing. Kreese was on his knees, thick vines wrapping around his body. No matter how much he fought them, he couldn’t break free. His werewolf minions prowled outside a barrier, snarling and restless.</p>
<p>“He’s just trying to distract us, Johnny.” Amanda’s voice was firm and steady, her eyes glowing an intense silver. Sweat gathered on her brow. “He wants you to fight him because the longer we waste time here, the more time we give whoever has Daniel to get away. We need to go find him. <i>Now</i>. Before it’s too late.”</p>
<p>“But how?” Johnny pushed himself up onto his feet. He rubbed at his chest. It felt like something had punched into his chest when he flew back. “This asshole isn’t going to give up any information.” He glared into Kreese’s laughing eyes. “You’re sicker than I ever imagined.”</p>
<p>Amanda twisted her outstretched hand into a fist. The vines squeezed tighter around Kreese, forcing him to gasp as the ones around his throat choked off his air. “I know some locator spells, but they take time.”</p>
<p>“You won’t have enough time.” Kreese laughed, cold and cruel, despite being choked. It was almost satisfying to watch as his face turned red from lack of oxygen.</p>
<p>“Let’s go.” Johnny touched her arm lightly. “LaRusso’s safety is more important than this piece of shit.”</p>
<p>Amanda uncurled her fingers then flicked her hand outward. A burst of wind threw Kreese back like he was ragdoll, ripping vines out of the ground. Whatever barrier she laid down broke, and Kreese slammed into his werewolf minions. They hit the ground in a tangle of limbs. Then Amanda grabbed his hand and dragged Johnny back toward the car. They got in, and Johnny hit the gas, pulling a sharp U-turn and kicking up dirt. He hoped this would be the last time he ever saw Kreese.</p>
<p>For now, LaRusso was his only focus.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fuck! Why didn’t he just flee the second he saw Kreese? Daniel cursed at himself, but he could do nothing to break free from the void where his mind was currently trapped. Of course, Silver would have taught Kreese his damn mind trick to incapacitate him. Which was even more reason for why Daniel should have taken off the second he realized the Alpha was Kreese. These two old fucking bastards! Why did they have to keep messing with their lives? Kreese already screwed with Johnny’s life enough before forcing the bite of a rogue Alpha upon him.</p>
<p>What was he going to do? What could he even do at this point? Daniel sank, wallowing in his uselessness. As long as he could be trapped within his own mind for days on end, he couldn’t do anything to protect Johnny. He prayed, begged any deity that might listen to him, that Johnny was strong enough to withstand an Alpha’s command. Johnny was physically strong, but so far, he never had an Alpha try to make him submit. If Kreese sought out Johnny, if his Alpha command could overpower him, Johnny would become Kreese’s unwilling beta.</p>
<p><i>Wake up</i>.</p>
<p>Daniel’s eyes fluttered open as the command rang in his ears. He blinked a few times as the fuzzy marble ceiling slowly came into focus. His head ached with a dull throb. Turning his gaze to the side, he took in the rows with bronze nameplates along the wall. He didn’t have to look to know the opposite wall would be the exact same. Tilting his head back, he saw a cross nailed to the wall over a small altar covered in lit candles. The wax dripped down them, tall and short, coating the altar and spilling onto the floor. He swallowed as the panic rose in him. He was in some fucking mausoleum.</p>
<p>It seemed like such a cliché. A vampire, hiding out in a mausoleum in the cemetery. At least, Dracula had a nice cozy castle.</p>
<p>A body sat next to him, the coldness seeping through his clothes. And Daniel was thankful to note that he did, in fact, still wear clothes. His heart stuttered in his chest, and he refused to remove his gaze from the candles. His stomach churned, and the bile made a decent attempt to work its way up his throat. His nightmare was finally coming to life. A hand cupped his cheek. He jerked his head away.</p>
<p>“Don’t fucking touch me!”</p>
<p>The hand caught his chin and forced his head around so Daniel had no choice but to stare up into Silver’s steely eyes. He smirked cruelly as Daniel struggled, jerking his arms and legs. Metal bit into his wrists and ankles. The grip on his chin tightened, bruising, making it impossible break free. Silver looked the same as when Daniel last saw him, same as when he first saw him. His dark hair was slicked back in its usual low ponytail. Daniel tried to ignore the fact that Silver only wore a pair of black pants.</p>
<p>“Fight all you like, Danny boy.” Silver chuckled, his gaze dipping slightly before meeting Daniel’s eyes again. “But soon, you’ll be singing a different tune.”</p>
<p>Daniel snarled as he narrowed his eyes. “I notice you’re still missing a couple of fingers. I guess they don’t grow back after all.”</p>
<p>Silver’s eyes bled yellow, and his lips drew back to show off razor sharp fangs. He lifted Daniel’s head up then slammed it back down with enough force that his vision went black for a brief second. Maybe taunting the psycho vampire when he couldn’t do anything to defend himself wasn’t a smart idea.</p>
<p>“I’ll deal with those two nuisances once you’re mine.” Then Silver’s smirk returned as he leaned in close. “In fact, I’ll have you help me with that.”</p>
<p>Daniel was almost thankful when the hand disappeared from his chin. But then he felt hands on his chest. They remained there for only a second before they slowly drifted down his sides. Daniel’s breath hitched, nausea working farther up his throat. When they reached the hem of his shirt, the cool hands slipped under, and their touch made his skin crawl. Daniel yanked at his restraints again, doing whatever he could to get away from that disgusting touch.</p>
<p>“Stop touching me!” Daniel shouted, wishing he could punch Silver in his stupid, smirking face. But the hands kept roaming over his chest.</p>
<p>“Shh, there’s no need for that.” Silver spoke in a quiet, placating voice. Maybe he thought it would help to calm him, but it only made Daniel want to tear off his own flesh to get that touch off him. “You don’t even understand anything about yourself, do you?” Silver moved to whisper into Daniel’s ear, producing a shudder of disgust. “You have no idea about the power you possess. Of course, you don’t. There hasn’t been anyone like you for a hundred years. That’s how rare your gift is.”</p>
<p>“The ability to read people’s emotions?” Daniel snorted. That was the only blessing here. Even with Silver touching him, Daniel could read any of his emotions. There was nothing. Just a void. He was fairly certain he wouldn’t like whatever emotions Silver felt. “I can’t say it’s been that great so far.”</p>
<p>“That’s because you haven’t learned to properly use your gift.” Silver licked the shell of his ear, and Daniel jerked violently away from him. The action amused Silver, and he chuckled, digging his nails into his sides and dragging them down slowly. Daniel grimaced, screwing his eyes shut. “I can teach you. Your power is more than just knowing what people feel. You can also turn your power against people. You can make people hurt.” His nails bit into his flesh, and Daniel yelped, jerking as much as he could while held in place by vampire strength. “You could break people’s minds by making them feel what you want.”</p>
<p>“I’m not a sick fuck like you,” Daniel growled. “I wouldn’t do something like that.”</p>
<p>“You,” Silver loomed over him again, “won’t have a choice.” Then he surged forward and captured Daniel’s mouth.</p>
<p>Keeping his mouth clamped shut, Daniel tossed his head from side to side. Silver finally grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced Daniel to keep his head still. But no matter the amount of prodding, Daniel refused to open his mouth to him. When he pulled back, Silver glared down icily.</p>
<p>“You’re stubborn. But that won’t save you.” Smirking, Silver released his hold on Daniel’s hair. His hand ghosted down Daniel’s face, his cheek, then along his jaw and down his throat. He took pleasure in the way Daniel flinched and squirmed at his touch. Then he paused. His eyes narrowed. He pulled his hand away from Daniel’s neck and frowned at it as he ran his thumb over the pads of his fingers. Then his eyes snapped back to Daniel’s neck.</p>
<p>“Ow!” Daniel winced when Silver jerked his head sideways. Silver wiped at his throat, scrubbing it raw. “What the hell?” He snapped his mouth shut as a thought hit him: Johnny’s mating bite from last night.</p>
<p>Silver grabbed his chin again, yanking his head forward. “You,” he growled dangerously with his fangs bared, “let some disgusting mutt claim you!”</p>
<p>Daniel stared, his eyes wide in a moment of terror. Then laughter bubbled out of him. “I guess you got to me too late.” His mouth stretched into the biggest shit eating grin he could muster. He couldn’t deny the immense pleasure it gave him to cause such fury in Silver.</p>
<p>“It’s not a complete claim.” Silver snarled, his nose twitching. “It’ll fade. I might have to wait a few days, but once it’s gone, I can make you mine. You’ve only momentarily delayed the inevitable.” He pushed away from Daniel and stood. “You’re alone here. No one is going to come to save you this time.”</p>
<p>“You’re wrong.” Daniel spoke with conviction, but a hint of doubt nagged at his brain. Would Johnny even be able to find this hideout in time?</p>
<p>“You sound worried.” Silver smirk as Daniel glared at him. He walked around and placed his hands to either side of Daniel’s head. Then he leaned over him. “I’m going to enjoying making you my consort.” His smirk widened as he watched Daniel swallow, this throat bobbing at the action. His eyes shifted to yellow, a hungry look in them, perhaps smelling the fear from Daniel. “And it’ll be so much fun to watch you break your dear sensei’s mind.”</p>
<p>Daniel growled, rage overtaking his fear. “You fuck-”</p>
<p>A loud crash made him jump. Daniel lifted his head as much as he could in order to look toward the front of the mausoleum. The door was blown off, hitting the ground with a loud boom. Silver stood up straight, snarling and glaring at the dust cloud kicked up by the fallen door. Daniel waited, tense as his heart pounded.</p>
<p>“Get the fuck away from him!” Johnny’s voice reverberated through the mausoleum. His rage directed at Silver washed over him, but Daniel only felt relief at seeing him.</p>
<p>“How did you find us, mutt?” Silver stalked forward to place himself between Johnny and Daniel. “Kreese should have made you submit to him.”</p>
<p>Johnny glanced around the mausoleum then turned his gaze back onto Silver with a lift of his eyebrow. “You’re a vampire and you’re hiding out in a fucking cemetery. Honestly, finding you was easy.” Behind Johnny, Daniel caught Amanda hovering with a look of furious determination in her eyes.</p>
<p>Silver launched at him, colliding with Johnny. Amanda stumbled out of the way to avoid being taken down when Silver tackled Johnny. Daniel couldn’t see anything while still restrained. He growled, pulling at the chains, but he didn’t have the strength to break them. Amanda hurried over to him, worry in her eyes as she stared down at him.</p>
<p>“Did he hurt you?”</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head. “He couldn’t claim me as a consort with Johnny’s mating bite still on me.”</p>
<p>Amanda’s mouth twitched like she was struggling to hide her smirk. “I guess it’s a good thing you two finally stopped being stupid last night.”</p>
<p>Daniel chuckled. “Yeah. Now help me out of this. I don’t want that asshole hurting Johnny.” He tugged one arm to indicate the restraints.</p>
<p>Amanda nodded as she placed her hand on the chain. It glowed hotly before the links snapped. She hurriedly broke the rest of the chains. Then, once Daniel climbed off the marble table, she dragged him into a tight embrace. “Don’t you dare doing anything like that again. I was so damn worried about you!”</p>
<p>Daniel squeezed his arms around her. “I’m sorry. It was stupid.”</p>
<p>A roar from outside broke them apart. Daniel rushed out the door of the mausoleum with Amanda following closely behind him. Johnny stood over Silver’s prone body, but a swift kick to his chest sent Johnny flying back into a grave marker. His back slammed into it, and he crumpled to the ground.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” Daniel screamed as he ran toward him.</p>
<p>Silver appeared suddenly, blocking his path. Daniel glowered darkly at him, but Silver merely smirked, smug and cruel. When he tried to move, Daniel found his body rooted to that spot. He cursed inwardly as the edges of his vision darkened. His consciousness was fading again.</p>
<p>Johnny caught Silver around the waist, tackling him to the ground. Daniel gasped the second he lost eye contact with Silver. He dropped to his hands and knees, his head swimming for a moment. Amanda was beside him in an instant, holding onto his shoulders.</p>
<p>“What was that?” Amanda asked worriedly.</p>
<p>Daniel shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness before he sought out the fight. Johnny swept Silver’s legs out from under him, and the vampire hit the ground with a grunt. Daniel struggled back to his feet while Johnny went in for a punch to the vampire’s chest. Silver caught his arm and wrenched it around with a snap that left Daniel breathless, his eyes widening. With a strangled shout, Johnny stumbled back, holding his arm. The bone poked through his skin as blood oozed down his arm. His eyes flashed a glowing blue, and he growled deep in his chest.</p>
<p>Silver hopped back onto his feet, grinning viciously. “Did you really think you could take me on? I’ve been around for-”</p>
<p>“I don’t give a fuck how old your shitty ass is,” Johnny shouted. “I’m never letting you have LaRusso. You aren’t going to turn him into some fucking slave!” Even with his arm still broken, he went in for the strike. Silver brought his arm up to block the punch.</p>
<p>“We have to help him!” Daniel moved to take a step when Amanda caught his arm.</p>
<p>“After what just happened?” Amanda frowned at him. “That vampire had you frozen dead in your tracks the moment he caught your eye.”</p>
<p>Daniel pressed his mouth thin, his fists aching from how tightly he squeezed them. “I know. But I can’t sit back and let him hurting Johnny.”</p>
<p>Amanda sighed. “I know. But I’m running low on magic.” She grimaced. “Holding back an Alpha was a struggle. I could try something small, but anything big would require some time to rest. I might be able to try-”</p>
<p>But Daniel had already tuned her out before she began speaking, bowing his head in frustration at his own uselessness. There had to be something he could do! Some way he could help Johnny! He couldn’t do anything in a fight against Silver. He already learned that last time. If he was completely alone that time, he would never have escaped. It was only because Chozen managed to slice off two of Silver’s fingers that saved him. Pinkie and ring finger. The ring on his finger was the only reason Silver was able to attack them during the day. Once it was cut free, Silver had to rush away to cover to avoid being burned to his final death.</p>
<p>It hit him then.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” Daniel shouted, covering the bite mark on his throat with a hand.</p>
<p>Johnny snapped his head to him. A slight crease appeared on his brow, but understanding seemed to flicker through his eyes.</p>
<p>At that same moment, Silver also shot his gaze toward him. Their eyes locked, and Daniel felt himself fading to darkness faster than before. He barely registered the arms wrapping around him to keep him upright. The howl of a wolf sounded so far away. Silver jerked his gaze away. Daniel slumped into the arms holding him, only seeing through a narrow field of vision. It was enough. Silver didn’t have time to react as a white wolf slammed into him. The wolf’s teeth wrapped around his throat and bit down until blood was gushing out. Silver screamed out, a muffled sound, until a sharp crunch cut him off. A smile flitted across Daniel’s face. Then he succumbed to the void.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flesh tore, blood flooding his mouth. He barely registered the shrieks emanating from the monster his teeth bit into. With a bit more pressure and a hard twist, bone snapped and crunched. The coppery taste of blood turned to ash in his mouth.</p>
<p>Johnny couldn’t even explain things. The moment his gaze locked with LaRusso’s, he immediately understood what the plan was, like LaRusso was whispering it directly into his mind without any words needed. Go for the throat. It felt so natural he didn’t even question it. And LaRusso provided the perfect distraction. A sacrifice play, something in his head told him.</p>
<p>Johnny shot his attention to LaRusso, abandoning the vampire, or whatever was left of him. Amanda sat on the ground, holding LaRusso against her. His eyes were half lidded and dark. His mind clearly wasn’t present. Panic surged through him, and Johnny rushed over toward them. He held back a whimper when he put weight on his still broken leg, the shock of pain overwhelming his fears momentarily. Not caring about his nudity, he forced the shift back to human. His arm was in agony, but LaRusso was more important. He dropped to his knees beside them.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to do,” Amanda admitted with a tremor of fear in her voice. “He isn’t responding to anything.”</p>
<p>Dread settled over him. “He said he was like this for three days last time,” Johnny mumbled, unable to take his eyes away from LaRusso. Why did he have to be such a self-sacrificing little bastard? The distraction LaRusso provided was all Johnny needed to rip out Silver’s throat. But Johnny didn’t want this! He didn’t want LaRusso trapped in his mind. And who could say how long it would last this time?</p>
<p>“There has to be some way to break him out of this,” Amanda insisted, but she sounded as lost for a solution as Johnny felt.</p>
<p>“I don’t,” Johnny shook his head, grimacing, “know. Maybe Mr. Miyagi would have some idea, but I don’t think they had a solution other than waiting it out.”</p>
<p>Amanda frowned as she dropped her gaze. “Your arm looks pretty bad. It should heal, but sometimes, you need a little help with it.” She carefully maneuvered LaRusso to rest on the ground. Then she moved over to him, holding out her hands. “Let me see it.”</p>
<p>Uncertain, Johnny held out his arm to her. It was an ugly sight, blood coating it. The skin was ripped where bone protruded from it. If he had a weak stomach, he might have vomited when he saw the damage. Taking hold of his arm, Amanda gave him a look, a slight frown and a crease on her brow. She didn’t have to say it. Johnny heard the message loud and clear: This was going to hurt. He tried to brace himself, but he still wasn’t prepared for the pain shooting up his arm. He gritted his teeth to hold back his shout. When he looked, the bone was snapped back into place. Breathing heavily, he watched as the muscle and skin knitted slowly back together. He could feel the bone fusing whole again.</p>
<p>“Thanks,” Johnny managed once the pain started to subside. Now that he was no longer suffering from a broken arm, his attention turned again to LaRusso. “We should get him out of here.” He scooted closer to where LaRusso lay then cupped his hand over his cheek. His heart ached when there was no response, no recognition in those empty eyes. “Come on, Daniel,” he whispered softly, pleading as he stroked his thumb over LaRusso’s cheek. “Come back to us.”</p>
<p>There wasn’t even a flicker from LaRusso. He simply lay there, and if his eyes were fully closed, he would appear to be sleeping. Johnny bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to cry but also feeling the overwhelming need to cry. He couldn’t even reach the man he loved right now!</p>
<p>“Johnny.” Amanda cautiously placed a hand on his shoulder. His first instinct was to turn on her and snarl, the need to protect LaRusso screaming in his mind. But he made himself relax. Amanda was pack, and she was trying to help. “Let’s get him to the car. He’ll be more comfortable once we can get him back to the apartment.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded numbly. Then he gathered LaRusso into his arms, and LaRusso’s head fell to rest against his shoulder. Standing, he saw Amanda gathering up the remains of his clothing, most importantly his wallet and keys. He let her lead the way back to his car. While he had no shame about his body, he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable with his nudity.</p>
<p>The cemetery was quiet, and they walked back through it to where they left his car in their mad dash to reach LaRusso before it was too late. Johnny kept dropping his gaze to LaRusso, praying he would find him awake, but nothing about his condition changed. There had to be some other way for them to beat Silver without LaRusso having to make the sacrifice play. His arms squeezed around LaRusso.</p>
<p>When they reached the car, Amanda unlocked it and opened the passenger’s side door for him. Johnny settled LaRusso into the car, making sure to secure the seatbelt in place. He tried to ignore the way his heart clenched as he stared at him. He couldn’t even pick up any smells from LaRusso.</p>
<p>“You’re going to have to drive,” Johnny told Amanda, finally taking his eyes away from LaRusso. “We don’t need the cops pulling us over with me driving in the nude.”</p>
<p>Amanda managed a small smile. “Yeah, that would be terrible. Are you good to shift again?” She frowned in concern.</p>
<p>“I’ve managed it before.” Johnny rolled his shoulder. “I’ll just be hungry afterward.”</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, Johnny focused his mind on the rage he felt toward Silver for doing this to LaRusso, on his anger at Kreese for what he had done to mess with his life. It was easier this way, his body responding to the anger. It still hurt, but it was becoming a pain he was growing used to as bone and muscle shifted. When he was fully a wolf, Johnny hopped into the car, settling on the floor between LaRusso’s legs. He rested his head on LaRusso’s thigh and stared up at him, a whine sticking in his throat.</p>
<p>Amanda closed the door then hurried around to the driver’s side to climb in. The car’s engine roared to life. Then they were off, driving away from the cemetery.</p>
<p><i>Come on, LaRusso</i>, Johnny begged in his head, the whine managing to escape him as he shifted closer to him. <i>I need you to come back. I can’t do this without you. You’re my anchor</i>. He nudged his head against LaRusso’s thigh, hoping somehow he could reach LaRusso. But if Mr. Miyagi couldn’t break LaRusso free from this, what hope did Johnny have? He closed his eyes, whining again. <i>Please! Daniel, I love you!</i></p>
<p>“We got there in time,” Amanda said, and her voice helped, somewhat, to distract him. “He wasn’t able to make Daniel into his consort. Thanks to you.”</p>
<p>Johnny opened his eyes, turning his head to her. Amanda smirked.</p>
<p>“He couldn’t do it with your mating bite on Daniel.”</p>
<p>Johnny looked up to LaRusso. The bite stood out on LaRusso’s throat. A bit of pride swelled in him, knowing the bite told everyone that LaRusso’s was his.</p>
<p>“Your love saved him.” Amanda laughed when Johnny rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>They fell silent after that as Amanda drove back to their complex. It felt like it was taking too long to make it home. Johnny kept shifting around, trying to get comfortable, while keeping up a pleading mantra in his head for LaRusso to wake up. They stopped at a light a few blocks away from the complex when Johnny woke from his light dozing to fingers threading through the fur on top of his head. He jolted upright, staring up into LaRusso’s bright brown eyes.</p>
<p>“Hey,” LaRusso said, his voice croaky, as a smile tugged at his mouth.</p>
<p>Johnny jumped up, bracing himself on the seat. Then he lapped his tongue over LaRusso’s neck and cheek, anywhere he could. His tail wagged. LaRusso laughed, burying his hands in Johnny’s white fur as he held him close.</p>
<p>“Sorry if I scared you,” LaRusso mumbled into his neck.</p>
<p>“I think we’re both relieved that you’re safe now,” Amanda said. “But,” her voice turned hard, “that was stupid and risky. And I thought we talked about that already.”</p>
<p>“I know.” LaRusso bowed his head, and he actually sounded regretful. “But I needed to do something, and the only thing I could do in that situation was distract Silver. I knew Johnny could win. But I also didn’t want to risk Johnny getting hurt worse in a prolonged fight.”</p>
<p>Amanda sighed. “I can understand your reasoning. But I hope you won’t do anything foolish like that again.”</p>
<p>“I would promise that, but I think Johnny would agree that I have almost zero self-preservation sometimes.” LaRusso chuckled as Johnny barked his agreement.</p>
<p>Before long, Amanda parked his car in the lot. They got out of the car, LaRusso seeming a little wobbly on his feet. Johnny led the way to their apartment. Amanda unlocked it for them, and Johnny hurried down the hall to the bedroom. When he finished shifting back, he looked up to see LaRusso standing in the doorway. They stared at each other for a brief second. Then LaRusso closed the distance, wrapping his arms around Johnny and burying his face against his throat. Johnny held him close, relaxing when he smelled the familiar earthy pine scent.</p>
<p>“You saved me,” LaRusso mumbled, squeezing his arms around him.</p>
<p>Johnny huffed a laugh. “Did you doubt I would?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shook his head. “I mean, you saved me from being trapped in that void.”</p>
<p>Johnny blinked then pulled back to look at LaRusso. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>LaRusso smiled, soft in a way that made Johnny want to melt. “For the first time, I could hear something there. I heard your voice. I could feel your emotions trying to reach out to me. I fought with everything I had to come back to you.”</p>
<p>Johnny held LaRusso’s face in his hands then kissed him, trying pour in how thankful he was LaRusso was here with him right now, how happy he was to have LaRusso back, and just how much he loved him. LaRusso returned the kiss with just as much passion. They stayed like that until they were forced to pull back for air. Johnny leaned forward to press his forehead against LaRusso’s.</p>
<p>“I should get dressed, so we don’t keep Amanda waiting,” Johnny mumbled, but he didn’t much feel like leaving the room. It would be rude, though, since he knew Amanda was in the front room still.</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded reluctantly. Neither of them moved right away. “Do we still have that dinner with your bandmates?”</p>
<p>Johnny’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit!” He jerked away, rushing over to look for some clean clothes. “I completely forgot!” But the rumbling his stomach told him skipping the dinner wouldn’t be appreciated. When he heard LaRusso laughing, he shot a glare at him.</p>
<p>LaRusso merely smiled as he searched his duffle bag for something to wear. He didn’t get dressed right away. Instead, he sat down and fiddled with the manacles still on his ankles. When the first heavy metal manacle opened and thumped onto the carpet, he released a sigh before working on the next one. Johnny was both impressed and mildly concerned that LaRusso knew how to pick locks like that.</p>
<p>“I’m looking forward to meeting them,” LaRusso said after he was free from all the manacles.</p>
<p>Johnny frowned at the angry red marks left on his arms and legs. “I bet they’re going to love you. But you might have to suffer some teasing after I introduce you as my boyfriend.” He smirked as a flush of color bloomed over LaRusso’s cheeks. “Is – Do we need to talk about what happened?” Concern wrinkled his brow as he watched LaRusso pull on a clean pair of jeans.</p>
<p>“Do we – I mean, um.” LaRusso lowered his gaze. “Can we talk in the morning? I can’t – I don’t want to think about <i>him</i> right now.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded then tugged a shirt on over his head. “Whenever you feel ready.” He didn’t want to push LaRusso to talk about anything, but he also knew how bad it could be to bottle things up. “You ready for this?”</p>
<p>LaRusso beamed as he crossed over to him. “To have you tell people I’m your boyfriend?” He leaned in to leave a peck on Johnny’s mouth. “Absolutely.”</p>
<p>LaRusso took Johnny’s hand and pulled him along as he walked out of the bedroom. They made a stop in the bathroom, and LaRusso wet a towel under the faucet. Then he wiped the remaining blood of Johnny’s arm and whatever was left on his chin. Thankfully, there wasn’t much else to clean up. The smaller injuries from the fight had already healed. Johnny made LaRusso sit on the toilet then set about wiping disinfectant over the spots where the metal had bit into his skin. After he bandaged them, he stared down at the white gauze, absently running his thumb over it. Until LaRusso pressed a kiss to his forehead with a murmur of, “It’s okay. He can’t hurt me ever again.” Then they joined Amanda in the front room. She smiled at them, the scent of relief filling the room.</p>
<p>“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Amanda drew LaRusso into a tight embrace. “You made me worry so many times today!”</p>
<p>“I know. I’m sorry.” LaRusso hugged her back. “I’ll try to work on not being stupid in the future.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Amanda’s sharp glare was enough to make fear tinge LaRusso’s scent. He didn’t want to piss off an emissary.</p>
<p>“We should get going now,” Johnny said, and Amanda threw him a confused look. “Because I am very hungry. And also, I don’t want my bandmates thinking I ditched them when this whole dinner is supposed to celebrate our first performance together.”</p>
<p>Amanda’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with a small gasp. “I had forgotten about that!”</p>
<p>LaRusso laughed. “A lot did happen. And I think we could all use some food and the chance to relax.”</p>
<p>“I can agree with that.” Amanda smiled as she passed Johnny his wallet and keys. She opened the door, and the three of them left the apartment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really thought I was going to finish the last chapter for this last night. I did finish the chapter. But then my brain was, like, "This can't end without one more thing happening!" XD We're almost there, though!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nervousness crept up his spine as Daniel followed Johnny into the little restaurant. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a step up from going to some place like McDonald’s or Pizza Hut. It felt like one of those family run places where the walls were almost completely covered in decorations and family photos. But it was nice, homey even.</p>
<p>Johnny laced their fingers together, and Daniel snapped his head back around to him.</p>
<p>“Why are you nervous all of a sudden?” Johnny arched his eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Just hitting me, I guess?” Daniel shrugged, knowing it was silly. “They’re your bandmates, and potentially pack mates. I guess I just don’t want them to hate me.”</p>
<p>Johnny rolled his eyes, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “I really doubt they could hate you.” He turned his head, glancing around the room. It wasn’t very large, and lots of little tables crowded most of the floor. There were some booths in the back to accommodate larger parties.</p>
<p>“Johnny’s right,” Amanda said, giving Daniel’s shoulder a small, comforting squeeze. “They’re all really great people. You’ll like them. And they’ll like you.”</p>
<p>Daniel smiled, feeling more relaxed. He still tugged at his sleeves, making sure they covered up the bandages.</p>
<p>“Johnny!” called out a woman as she stood at one of the booths and waved them over.</p>
<p>Daniel recognized her immediately from watching her sing. He glanced at Amanda and smirked. She rolled her eyes as she shoved him. They followed after Johnny as they weaved through the tables over to the booth. The singer – Carmen, Daniel remembered – dragged Johnny into a crushing hug.</p>
<p>“You had us thinking you weren’t going to show!” When she pulled back, Carmen smacked him on the arm.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah, sorry.” Johnny laughed as he rubbed at his neck. “Some things came up. I’m sorry we’re so late.”</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>Daniel jolted when someone appeared next to him suddenly. He blinked at the woman smiling brightly, her strawberry hair drawn back in a loose braid. Behind her, a man stood with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his way too tight black jeans.</p>
<p>“I’m Hazel,” she greeted. “And this,” she nodded behind her, “is Luke.”</p>
<p>Daniel bobbed his head. “Daniel.”</p>
<p>“What happened to your neck?” Luke asked, his brow knitting as his eyes trained on the spot where Johnny left the mating bite.</p>
<p>A flush crept onto his face. “Oh, um,” Daniel mumbled and lowered his gaze. He reached up to cover the bite mark. When they were getting ready to leave, he forgot about hiding it. He wasn’t embarrassed by it, but he knew it could be awkward to explain to people who knew nothing about the supernatural.</p>
<p>Hazel turned her head to toss a grin over her shoulder. “Maybe we should let Johnny answer that.”</p>
<p>“Answer what?” Johnny turned his attention to their conversation.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have guessed you were so kinky in bed.” Hazel smirked, poking Johnny in the side as he sputtered, face growing red.</p>
<p>Carmen laughed, along with Luke. “Be nice, Hazel. You know how werewolves like to mark their mates.” She gave Johnny a sympathetic patted on the shoulder while Johnny gaped at her.</p>
<p>“I’m not-” Johnny tried to protest, but Carmen gave him a stern look. “Am I walking around with a giant sign painted on me or something?” He flushed, frustration bleeding into his embarrassment.</p>
<p>“No, I just have my ways.” Carmen smiled then turned to Daniel. “I’m Carmen, by the way.” She held out her hand to him.</p>
<p>“Daniel.” He shook her hand. As they stared at each other, Carmen’s smile faded, and Daniel swallowed, feeling her concern and confusion.</p>
<p>“Who did that to you?” Carmen stepped closer to him, her eyes never leaving his. Her tone wasn’t accusatory, but more sorrowful. Before he could think of a response, she reached up and touched a hand to his face, her fingers resting gently against his temple. “Someone went and mucked up your head.”</p>
<p>“Carmen, what are you-” Johnny started, almost snatching her hand away from Daniel, but Amanda put a hand on his arm to stop him.</p>
<p>“It’s something she can do,” Amanda explained in a quiet voice.</p>
<p>Carmen turned a frown on them then back to Daniel before she dropped her hand away. “It’ll take too much time to heal something like that. And I don’t think the owners here will appreciate us taking up one of their tables without ordering some food. But if you want me to, I can take a look at it sometime later.”</p>
<p>“I, um, sure?” Daniel flicked his gaze from her to Johnny and back, uncertainty settling over him. “Do what exactly though?” His brow creased. He still didn’t understand what exactly was happening.</p>
<p>Carmen’s mouth quirked in a small smile. “I work as a nurse. I have a natural gift for healing. Of course, that’s not to say I can heal everything. But something of the supernatural variety? I’m pretty good with that.” Then her frown returned. “I don’t know who did this to you, but it must be hard fully controlling your gift.”</p>
<p>Daniel blinked, but the understanding hit him a second later. She meant the little “backdoor” Kreese said Silver put in his mind. That little access point for Silver to sneak in and lock him away in the void in his mind. “So, that’s why I could never fully put up guards,” he mumbled in realization. It wasn’t because he wasn’t working hard enough to control his abilities. Silver made it so he literally couldn’t completely block out other people’s emotions. His eyes widened. Then he pulled Carmen into a tight embrace. “I would thank you forever if you can fix that!”</p>
<p>Carmen laughed lightly in his ear. “I will do my best.”</p>
<p>When he released her, Daniel quickly found himself pulled back against Johnny’s chest with a low, rumbling growl in his ear. He laughed as he patted the arm around his waist. “No need to get all jealous.” He twisted his head to place a kiss on his cheek. “You know I only have eyes for you.”</p>
<p>“If the two of you get any sweeter, you might make me sick,” Hazel said, but her voice was light and teasing. It didn’t stop Daniel from blushing darkly, especially when Johnny nuzzled against his throat.</p>
<p>“I think we should probably sit down already,” Amanda suggested gently. “Someone shifted twice and could probably use a big meal.” She patted Johnny on the shoulder before she slid into the booth.</p>
<p>Daniel grinned, and he knew Johnny was too, when he saw Carmen sliding into the booth to sit next to Amanda. A light blush colored both women’s cheeks when they glanced at each other before turning their attention to the menus on the table. Daniel and Johnny joined them on one side while Hazel and Luke took the other side. A waiter came around not long after all of them sat down, and after several minutes for them to look over the menu, he jotted down their order. Then he disappeared off to the kitchen.</p>
<p>“So,” Luke said, his gaze flicking over Daniel then he smirked, “tell us more about you.”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh,” Daniel said, shifting on the booth. “Like what?”</p>
<p>“Like you and Johnny,” Hazel leaned her chin in one hand, “being mates and all.”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed, maybe a bit forced and awkward. It wasn’t like he could deny it with the bite mark on his neck and Johnny’s arm wrapped around his waist. Neither of them, though, planned on denying it though. “That’s a pretty long story.” He turned his gaze to Johnny. “We hated each other when we first met.”</p>
<p>“Now that sounds like the start of a love story for the ages.” Carmen smiled, watching them both with interest. Daniel didn’t miss how closely she and Amanda sat next to each other. Or the way their hands were almost touching on the table.</p>
<p>“He did steal my girlfriend,” Johnny said, earning a few gasps from his bandmates.</p>
<p>“Ex,” Daniel pointed out with a roll of his eyes. “Maybe we should send her something really nice for her wedding gift. A thank you because without all that drama, I don’t know if we ever would have paid attention to each other.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed, pinching Daniel’s side to make him squirm. “I’m sure you would have found some other way to annoy your way into my life.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to imagine you hating each other.” Hazel squinted at them.</p>
<p>Daniel shrugged. “It took us a while to realize what idiots we were back then. And I’m glad we did.”</p>
<p>“So,” Johnny flicked his gaze around the table, “you all knew about the supernatural this whole time?”</p>
<p>Daniel could feel the curiosity from him mixing with his own. He glanced between Hazel and Luke, wondering what part of the supernatural community they belonged to, if at all.</p>
<p>“My uncle married a selkie,” Hazel said with a shrug.</p>
<p>“My cousin tried to turn me into a frog when I was eleven,” Luke said, turning a ring on one of his fingers. “I’ve never seen my aunt so pissed in my life. It was pretty funny.”</p>
<p>“But the two of you?” Johnny pointed a finger from Hazel to Luke and back again.</p>
<p>“Oh, we’re completely human.” Hazel nodded.</p>
<p>“So, being a werewolf, do we have anything to worry about?” Luke lifted curious eyebrows.</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head. “I haven’t felt any desire to feast on human flesh. I almost ate a rabbit in the woods though.”</p>
<p>Daniel laughed at the disgusted face Johnny pulled. He noted Amanda and Carmen seemed to be having their own quiet conversation. He smiled at that, and if he was listening in on it, Johnny showed no outward sign. They all fell quiet when the waiter returned to serve their order, placing the plates in front of each of them. Their conversation shifted from there, Daniel asking some questions about the band or if they had another gig scheduled any time soon. Luke asked him about his job, and Daniel realized he was probably fired from the mini mart job since he wasn’t planning on showing up for his shift. He couldn’t really care about it at this point though. When he mentioned getting the job at the dealership with Amanda, Carmen had a few grumbles about Tom Cole and what an ass he was.</p>
<p>By the end of the dinner, Daniel had a full belly and laughed so much his sides ached. But it was good. Johnny was right. Daniel did like his bandmates, and they seemed to like him too. They seemed to like teasing him, but Daniel didn’t even mind. It was all good natured. It felt like how a pack should be. He smiled sleepily, leaning against Johnny while they talked a while longer after paying the bill. Everyone chipped in.</p>
<p>Johnny had to jostle him out of his light doze when it was time to finally go. Daniel slid out of the booth and got pulled into hugs from each member of the band. They had good emotional energy to them. He smiled as he leaned into each of their hugs.</p>
<p>“You should come by for our practice sometime,” Hazel suggested. “We keep telling Amanda she can come too, but she’s always so busy with her planning.” She rolled her eyes at Amanda.</p>
<p>“There’s nothing wrong with working hard to achieve a goal,” Amanda huffed. Then she hooked her arm around Daniel’s as they walked out of the restaurant. Johnny managed not to growl protectively at that action, but he did walk rather close on his other side. “But if Daniel comes along, maybe I won’t feel so out of place.”</p>
<p>“Relaxing sometimes isn’t such a bad idea though,” Daniel pointed out. “You’ve already been working so hard by yourself. And now you have me to help spread out the work.”</p>
<p>“See? I knew I liked you for some reason,” Hazel teased.</p>
<p>“And we won’t be upset if you want to do some of that planning while at our practice,” Carmen said from Amanda’s other side. “I would be happy to see you there.” They smiled at each other.</p>
<p>Daniel untangled his arm from Amanda’s then nudged Johnny toward the car, so the two women could have a private moment. When they were in the car, Johnny took Daniel’s hand, lacing their fingers.</p>
<p>“I’ll have you know I wasn’t listening to them talk all night,” Johnny said. “It would have been really easy, but I did my best to filter them out.”</p>
<p>“So you do know what private conversations are!” Daniel teased then laughed when Johnny reached over to pinch his side. “Hey! You deserve that!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, maybe.” Johnny’s mouth twitched like he was struggling not to smirk. “But to be fair, when you get talking, it’s hard not to pay attention.”</p>
<p>Daniel squinted at him. “I can’t tell if you’re saying that to insult me for being annoying or to be sweet because you love me so much.”</p>
<p>“Who can say?” Johnny smirked, which was more frustrating.</p>
<p>A few minutes later, Amanda opened the car door and climbed into the car, sitting in Daniel’s lap.</p>
<p>“How was your chat?” Johnny smirked, starting the car after Amanda pulled the door shut.</p>
<p>“It was fine.” A light blush colored her cheeks. “I might pay a visit to the hospital tomorrow for coffee when I have my lunch break.”</p>
<p>“You’ll have to tell us all about how it goes,” Daniel said, only teasing a little. He was happy for Amanda. They fell into companionable silence after that as Johnny drove them back to their apartments. Daniel rested his head back against his seat, his eyes slipping shut. He wanted to crawl into bed and curl up against Johnny and just sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he woke, Johnny was alone in his bed. He rolled onto his back, sighing in disappointment as he stared up at the ceiling. His sleep tired eyes slowly came into focus. After yesterday morning, he already disliked waking up in a lonely bed again. Then he sniffed the air, catching the scent of food from the kitchen. Taking a minute to focus on what he smelled, he recognized bread warming in the toaster and sausage patties frying in a pan. His mouth stretched into a wide grin as he threw the blankets off him. He hit the bathroom first, desperately needing to relieve his bladder. After he washed up, he headed into the kitchen. To no surprise, he found LaRusso standing at the stove preparing their breakfast.</p>
<p>“How are you feeling this morning?” Johnny walked over to lean against the counter. </p>
<p>LaRusso was still in his nightwear, loose sweatpants and simple shirt. The sleeves were short, showing off the bandages still wrapped around his wrists. Johnny frowned at them, a very faint metallic scent of blood lingering in the air. They would have to check on those injuries later, change the bandages, but it could wait for the moment.</p>
<p>LaRusso glanced his way, smiling before he turned back to the eggs, flipping one of the frying eggs over. “We’re gonna do the talk thing now, aren’t we?” His smile fell as he kept his attention focused on fixing their breakfast.</p>
<p>“Only if that’s something you’re up for.” Johnny hunched his shoulders, leaning back on his hands. “I don’t want to force you into something you’re not ready for. But I don’t think this is the kind of thing we should let sit and fester.”</p>
<p>“And this conversation isn’t going to make you late for work?”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head. “I finished up work for Mrs. Swanson yesterday.” And that was another part of the conversation they needed to have. “And I think after last night, I deserve a day off.”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded and flipped off the burners on the stove. “Where do you want to start?” He grabbed some plates from the cabinet.</p>
<p>Johnny pulled down some glasses and poured them each a glass of orange juice. “When I saw Kreese-”</p>
<p>“I was going to tell you!” LaRusso spun around, his eyes wild with panic. “I wasn’t trying to hide that from you. I only found out who the Alpha really was when I got there. And that’s when I realized the whole reason behind why you were targeted. I feel so stupid for not seeing it sooner. It’s so obvious in hindsight! I was definitely going to tell you. You needed to know about him. But then-”</p>
<p>Johnny closed the distance between them, gathering LaRusso into his arms. “Hey,” he said in a low, soothing rumble, stroking his hand up and down LaRusso’s spine. “I know. You don’t have to explain anything there. I know you wouldn’t have hidden that from me if you were given the chance to speak to me first.”</p>
<p>LaRusso nodded shakily. “I just don’t want you to think I would hide something that important. I know I made the mistake of not explaining the whole mating bite first. But I also didn’t expect things to go like they did.” When he stepped back, his face was burning bright red, even to the tips of his ears. “I wasn’t exactly thinking, ‘hey, we should probably stop what we’re doing and have a serious conversation about werewolf sex.’ You know?” He winced, and Johnny had to bite back a laugh.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that probably would have really killed the moment.” Johnny gave a small half smirk as LaRusso nodded with a chuckle. He picked up the glasses and carried them over to the table while LaRusso brought their food over. “Now, as I was saying.” He sat down, immediately cutting into his fried egg and letting the yolk ooze out. “When I saw Kreese, he said some stuff.” He sent a cautious glance LaRusso’s way as he soaked his toast in the yolk.</p>
<p>“What stuff?” LaRusso frowned, concern stinking up the air. “Was he trying to force you to join his pack? Did he try using his Alpha command on you to make you submit to him?”</p>
<p>Johnny blinked, recalling that strange compulsion he had to bow his head and bare his neck to Kreese. A growl rumbled in the back of his throat. “He failed at that.”</p>
<p>LaRusso bobbed his head, his eyes wide with amazement. “Not many werewolves could resist an Alpha command like that.” He smiled brightly, his eyes dancing. “That’s really impressive, Johnny!”</p>
<p>Ducking his head, Johnny tore a large bite from his toast and hoped his faint blush wasn’t too noticeable. But hearing the praise from LaRusso warmed his chest. After he swallowed, he coughed to clear his throat. “But what Kreese said.” He frowned as he lifted his gaze back to LaRusso. “He kept trying to imply that you enjoyed whatever that was with Silver. That you liked having his attention on you. That you enjoyed him <i>touching</i> you.”</p>
<p>LaRusso paled as he lowered his fork back to the plate. The stench of panic and fear hung thick in the air. It was also clear in his wide, doe brown eyes. “You can’t actually believe that!” he shouted, anger flaring in him. “You really think I want – That I could ever-” He shook his head. “Johnny, that bastard terrified me!”</p>
<p>Johnny held up his hands. “I never believed him for a second. Trust me.” As he lowered his hands, he leveled a serious stare on him. “But if our roles were reversed, and you had Silver spinning all these lies about how I saw Kreese, and making it sound perverted, are you saying you wouldn’t tell me about those things he said?”</p>
<p>LaRusso frowned, his anger slowly fading. “I suppose I would.” His gaze dropped. “I know you saw Kreese as a father figure. And I’m sure he made you feel like he cared about you, like a father should, and I probably won’t ever understand that or be able to see those sides of him. But if someone tried to suggest that you ever let Kreese touch you inappropriately, and that you <i>enjoyed</i> it, I would never believe something like that.”</p>
<p>Johnny shuddered, the very idea of Kreese ever putting hand on him like <i>that</i> sickening him. “Please don’t ever say something like that. I don’t need those kinds of images in my head.” He gave another shudder and almost lost his appetite. “I know he was just trying to say those things to get in my head and make me doubt you. He probably thought it would weaken me so I would fall to his Alpha whatever thing. Or at the very least, enrage me enough to attack him so I would remain too distracted to find you.”</p>
<p>“Alpha command,” LaRusso corrected, like an automatic response. He nodded his agreement, probably coming to a similar conclusion. “With Silver-” He sighed, shoulders slumping. “I was in a bad head space. I was getting harassed to participate in the ’85 tournament. I was stuck at the bottom of a cliff with the tide coming in, and the asshole up above had pulled up our ropes. If I didn’t sign the form, he might have left us down there to drown. And then they were going to drop us when we got to the top if I didn’t hand over Mr. Miyagi’s bonsai. And this wasn’t just any bonsai.” He glared sharply at Johnny.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t going to say anything!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but I can feel you thinking it’s just a silly little tree. But it wasn’t.” LaRusso let out a heavy sigh. “This was a true bonsai tree. Mr. Miyagi brought it with him from Okinawa. He put it there so it would be safe. And I was foolish enough to go find it because it was really valuable. The asshole Silver hired to harass me had just stolen our whole stock of bonsai for opening the shop. I thought it was the only way to get the money we needed. And it was stupid. I was so stupid. He broke it. Snapped the trunk. I thought Mr. Miyagi was going to hate me forever, but he managed to save the tree.”</p>
<p>Johnny reached out and took LaRusso’s hand. “Hey, it turned out all right in the end. With the bonsai. I’m sure Mr. Miyagi would have been sadder if you ended up dead because of that bastard.”</p>
<p>LaRusso’s mouth twitched, a small thankful smile. Then he took a shaky breath before continuing. “So, I’m stuck in it now. Mr. Miyagi won’t teach me. Treated it like a joke when I asked him to teach me. And I got so angry about it. A perfect setup for Silver to swoop in and offer to teach me. I should have known something was wrong with him. He had me punching and kicking wood planks until my knuckles and ankles bled. You should have seen the way he looked at my hand every time I bled. There was this hunger in his eyes that made me feel sick. I didn’t realize until after the tournament the reason behind that.”</p>
<p>Johnny swallowed, running his thumb over LaRusso’s knuckles. “He sounds like a worse teacher than Kreese.”</p>
<p>LaRusso snorted a bitter laugh. “Kreese wanted to make you strong, even if it meant turning you into a bully. Silver was purposely trying to make me hurt. And then my powers awoke at the end of the tournament, and he wanted to do something worse to me.”</p>
<p>The bile churned in his stomach, wanting to crawl up his throat. “He wanted you as a consort.”</p>
<p>LaRusso blinked. “I guess someone’s been reading my journals.” His mouth curled upward.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah.” Johnny winced. “Not mad, are you?”</p>
<p>LaRusso shook his head. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to learn some of that stuff. Now that you’re a part of the supernatural world, you can’t just ignore things. Whether you want it or not, you’re going to run into stuff. It’s better for you to know what you’re up against, especially if you have to fight it.”</p>
<p>Johnny nodded. “Learning about vampires seemed like the most important right now.” Tilting his head, he stared curiously. “So, Dracula is overrated?”</p>
<p>LaRusso laughed. “Saw that part, huh? Yeah, he’s kind of overrated. He has a pretty big castle though. Definitely better than that mausoleum, but both seem pretty cliché for vampire haunts. He, uh,” he rolled his lip between his teeth, “wrote all the stuff about consorts. When he started talking about what it meant, how most vampires do it, what happens to the person who becomes a consort, I kind of freaked out. He decided he would just write out all the details and I could read it later when I calmed down enough.”</p>
<p>“I got pretty upset just reading it,” Johnny admitted as he poked at the sausage patty on his plate. “It made me furious to think that some sicko vampire wanted to make you some slave he could control. I – Well, it made me think of my mom.” He frowned, lifting his gaze to LaRusso. “I know it’s not even close to the same, but it just reminded me of how my mom was always bowing down to Sid after they married. If he got angry with me, she would tell me to try to behave better so I wouldn’t upset him. It didn’t matter that he smacked a thirteen-year-old so hard I thought I was going to black out. He would just say he believed in raising kids with a firm hand. I would have rather stayed poor.”</p>
<p>LaRusso squeezed his hand, frowning. Johnny expected to be hit with the smell of pity, but all he got was sadness under a quiet rage. “I’m sorry your home life wasn’t better. I never knew. Or maybe, it was easier to just not want to know back then. But no kid deserves to be knocked around, even by a step parent.”</p>
<p>“We made up. My mom and me.” Johnny smiled a little. “I spent a week visiting her in the hospital before she passed. It almost felt like old times, before Sid. We talked about the things we used to do, all the shitty jobs and apartments. We had little jokes that were only ours. It felt good to laugh with her, even though she was really sick. I wish I had gotten my head out of my ass and spent more time with her before the end. I was a pretty big mess after she died. I got really drunk. I might have tried attacking Sid. Spent a night in lockup after the funeral.”</p>
<p>LaRusso’s hold tightened again, and Johnny was thankful he wasn’t sprouting out, “I’m sorry,” over and over again like some other people did when he told them his mother died. He didn’t need that. He wasn’t looking for sympathy. He just wanted to tell LaRusso about his mother because she was someone important to him. Even if things weren’t always the best between them.</p>
<p>“I bet it made her really happy to have you there with her. Even for just one week.” LaRusso smiled, but it was a bit watery. He blinked like he was trying to rid himself of tears.</p>
<p>Damn it! Now Johnny was feeling a bit teary eyed too. Thinking about his mother always brought too many emotions to the surface. Fuck Kreese! Caring about his mother didn’t make him a pussy. He wouldn’t be fucking alive if it weren’t for his mother.</p>
<p>“I,” LaRusso cleared his throat, calling Johnny’s attention back to him, “haven’t seen my ma since graduation. She’d gone to Fresno right after. And then I went to Okinawa for the summer. When I got back, she was already back in Newark to care for my Uncle Louie. Then all the shit with Silver happened, and I was running to stay out of his clutches.”</p>
<p>“You never stopped by?” Johnny winced. He didn’t mean it to sound insensitive or anything. It was a curiosity. “I just mean, you traveled a lot. You didn’t ever want to drop by Newark to see her?”</p>
<p>“Wanted to, sure.” LaRusso drew in on himself, frowning down at his breakfast. “But I was scared to. I kept thinking, if Silver followed me there, what if he killed my ma? Or worse, what if he turned her? What if my ma, as a vampire, was completely different? What if she came after me? What if I had to kill her myself?” He squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t be able to do that. How could I shove a stake through my own ma’s heart? And he would have done that. I don’t have any doubts about it. He would have done it just to torture me.”</p>
<p>Johnny tightened his hand around LaRusso’s. “Hey, it’s okay. He can’t hurt her. He’s dead. You’re safe. Your mom’s safe. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. You can see her again now whenever you want.”</p>
<p>LaRusso smiled, the tears slipping down his cheeks. “Yeah,” he croaked then cleared his throat, “yeah, you’re right.” He chuckled. “And I bet she’s going to want to meet you.”</p>
<p>“And I would like to make a better impression on her.” Johnny laughed. “I think she’s going to be giving me the stink eye after what happened at the tournament.”</p>
<p>“My ma? Holding a grudge?” LaRusso snorted, though his eyes twinkled. “Be prepared to do a lot of groveling.”</p>
<p>“I will be on my knees begging her to forgive me.” Johnny was a bit nervous about the idea of meeting LaRusso’s mother. She was there at tournament when he drove his elbow down on LaRusso’s already injured knee. He wouldn’t be surprised if she never forgave him for it. “Hey,” he said, drawing LaRusso’s attention back to him as he stuffed a forkful of fried egg into his mouth, “there’s something else I need to tell you about.”</p>
<p>An eyebrow twitched upward as LaRusso swallowed. “What is it?”</p>
<p>“My last client, Mrs. Swanson.” Johnny licked his lips nervously. “She’s, um, kind of the leader of the Hunters.”</p>
<p>LaRusso tensed, eying him warily. “Did she-”</p>
<p>“Oh! No.” Johnny shook his head. “She actually wanted to apologize for what Mr. Perkins did. She seems trustworthy. And scary. She was pissed about Mr. Perkins coming after me for money. I don’t think she knows about you. She only mentioned Amanda.”</p>
<p>LaRusso chewed on his lip. “I’m not sure I want them knowing about me. After Silver wanted me for my abilities.” He trailed off, dropping his gaze.</p>
<p>Johnny pulled his hand closer and kissed the back of it. “We won’t tell them anything that you’re uncomfortable with. And no one is going to exploit your abilities. I won’t let them.”</p>
<p>LaRusso smiled, all the tension melting out of him as happiness washed through his scent. “I know you won’t.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ugh, my car!” Daniel groaned, pressing his fingers to his eyes as he sat in the passenger’s seat of Johnny’s car. “And my dagger!” It wasn’t until they got into the car that he remembered both his car and the silver dagger were left behind at Kreese’s pack house. And he had no desire to go anywhere near there just to get them. He doubted Kreese would willingly return them to him.</p>
<p>“I hope you’re not thinking of going back there.” Johnny frowned, his mouth pressing thin as he glared ahead.</p>
<p>Daniel sighed, dropping his hands into his lap. “No, of course, I’m not. It’s just a dumb car. Not even a good one. And I have the Ford. I just,” he squinted, “don’t really want to drive that to the dealership. I already don’t have the greatest opinion of this Cole guy. I don’t want him seeing my Ford.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed. “He’d probably try to steal it right from under you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Daniel agreed, “and then he’d probably ruin the poor thing having people do some maintenance work on it.  I’ve worked on that car.” He waved a finger at Johnny. “That thing is my baby, and I’ll be damned if I let some of Cole’s idiots touch it.” He huffed, almost throwing himself back into his seat.</p>
<p>“If I ever had to get this baby fixed,” Johnny leaned forward to pat a hand on the dashboard, “I would never take it to that dick. But,” he grinned at Daniel as the light turned green, “if you can keep that old Ford in good shape, my Firebird should be no sweat for you.”</p>
<p>“Just don’t go purposely wrecking this car.” Daniel pointed a stern finger at Johnny. But he couldn’t deny getting the chance to peek at all the inner workings of the car would make him happy. He loved classic cars. Especially the ones with a style and personality all their own. “Losing the dagger sucks.” He sighed, shaking his head. “But it’s not like that was irreplaceable. I have other silver weapons, and I can always make another.”</p>
<p>“Make?” Johnny cocked an eyebrow, briefly taking his eyes off the road to glance at him. “You make weapons?”</p>
<p>Daniel grinned. “I’ve had a few jobs here and there learning the craft.” He laughed, remembering his first time working at a blacksmith’s forge. “I worked for this woman who didn’t want to hire me at first because, as she said, I have noodles for arms.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed, hard, at that.</p>
<p>“I can’t blame her. You should have seen her arms! Like,” Daniel held up his hands a fair distance apart. “I swear she could have crushed my head if she got me a headlock and flexed. She was a great teacher though. She had me perfecting my first sword in just over a month. I still have it.”</p>
<p>Johnny shook his head, a smile lingering on his face. “You really have done a lot of stuff, huh? All that traveling, and picking up different skills.” His smile faltered with a glance to Daniel. “It would probably feel a lot more exciting if it hadn’t come at the cost of fleeing from a crazy, psycho vampire chasing you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Daniel agreed, staring out the front window with a distant look in his eyes.</p>
<p>There was a tickle of emotions when he dropped his mental guards just a little. Pity wasn’t present. Johnny never seemed to feel sorry for him for the life he was forced to live. It wasn’t an easy life, but Daniel had pushed through and kept walking forward, even when he stumbled into despair, thinking of death as a better alternative. Even then, he still found a reason to keep living. There was a kind of admiration from Johnny for having survived it all. Anger was usually there in moments like this, anger at Silver for causing so much pain and suffering.</p>
<p>Then Daniel turned his head back around to Johnny, a smile pulling wide across his face. “Maybe we can rent time at a forge one day, and I can show you a few things.”</p>
<p>“Getting to watch you, all hot and sweaty, pounding on steel?” Johnny smirked, flicking his gaze up and down his body in a way that made Daniel flush all over. “How could I say no to that?”</p>
<p>Daniel rolled his eyes, but he smiled, his cheeks warming.</p>
<p>They continued on in silence, only songs playing on the radio filling the car. A half hour later, Johnny parked his car. Daniel grabbed the grocery bags at his feet before he climbed out. Johnny followed after him as Daniel headed for the front door. He had a key, of course, but he still knocked on the door before opening it. Mr. Miyagi appeared in the front hall and smiled when he saw them, slipping out of their shoes to leave by the door.</p>
<p>“Daniel-san, Johnny-san!” Mr. Miyagi pulled each of them into a hug. “Good to see you both.”</p>
<p>“I hope you don’t mind us dropping by like this,” Daniel said as he wandered down the hall to the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Daniel-san is always welcome.” Mr. Miyagi smiled kindly when he joined him in the kitchen. Johnny remained in the doorway, leaning against the frame as he folded his arms. “You brought a lot of food.”</p>
<p>Daniel returned the smile, ducking his head as he started pulling out vegetables, which Johnny had complained about when they were shopping earlier. “I wanted to cook you a big meal.”</p>
<p>“Oh?” Mr. Miyagi watched him with a twinkle in his eyes. “Good news?”</p>
<p>“Lots of good news,” Johnny agreed. “Should we wait? Because I think we should just tell him now.”</p>
<p>Daniel sent a look at him over his shoulder. He was not pouting. “Oh, all right!” He huffed a sigh. “I guess we can tell him all about it while I cook.”</p>
<p>“We cook,” Mr. Miyagi corrected, getting out a large wooden cutting board to set on the counter. “Now,” he turned to Daniel with that knowing wisdom in his eyes as they flicked to the lingering mating bite on Daniel’s throat, “what is this news?”</p>
<p>“Uh,” Daniel flushed darkly, concentrating on prepping everything for the meal, “where to start?”</p>
<p>“You could just start with us,” Johnny suggested with a shrug. He didn’t leave his spot against the doorframe, keeping out of their way while they cooked. “We’re not just living together. We’re also seeing each other.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi turned on Johnny with the sharp knife he was using on the fish in his hand. He stared Johnny down, pointing the knife while Johnny gulped and shifted his weight. Daniel couldn’t shake the blush as he worried his lower lip. “You make Daniel-san happy?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“You won’t hurt Daniel-san?”</p>
<p>“Never again,” Johnny vowed in complete seriousness.</p>
<p>“Mr. Miyagi, I appreciate you wanting to protect me, but Johnny really isn’t anything like how he was in high school.” Daniel watched the two men with a nervous flutter inside him. Both men were very important to him, and he didn’t know what he would do if they couldn’t get along with each other. “He cares a lot for me, and I care a lot for him. We’re happy with each other.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi narrowed his eyes at Johnny before bobbing his head and returning to the fish. “Needed to be certain. But Johnny-san is a good man, kind heart, strong wolf.” He nodded again, seeming happy about their relationship.</p>
<p>Daniel let out a breath, the tension in him deflating. He glanced back at Johnny, who seemed just as relieved. “He just gets overprotective because he worries about me.”</p>
<p>“Not surprising after running away from a creepy vampire for so long.” Johnny rolled his shoulder, that reaction from Mr. Miyagi not coming as a surprise. “You’re pretty much like a son to him. He just wants to know you’ll be safe.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi hummed as he worked. “Johnny-san has grown quite wise since high school.”</p>
<p>Johnny chuckled. “I could probably stand to gain several more years of wisdom.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi nodded. “A wise man never stops learning.” He looked over his shoulder at Johnny then turned to Daniel. “There was other news, yes?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Daniel said slowly, heating up the oil in a pan on the stove, “we learned the Alpha of the pack in this area is Kreese.” He dared to glance at Mr. Miyagi and winced at the severe frown on his face. “You don’t have to start in on the disapproval or lecture me. I know I was stupid to go there alone, even if it didn’t turn out to be Kreese. He handed me right over to Silver.”</p>
<p>Mr. Miyagi stopped his work and turned completely to him. “Daniel-san.” He placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, a gentle, comforting squeeze.</p>
<p>Daniel closed his eyes, trying not push away the memories still too fresh in his mind. Recalling the feel of Silver’s hands on him, of his mouth crushing against his own, left him shuddering in disgust. His stomach twisted and churned, and he almost lost his appetite. Instead, he pushed his mind to focus on Mr. Miyagi and Johnny, both their presences helping to calm him and drive away those memories from him.</p>
<p>“I was terrified, but Johnny came to save me. Well, Johnny and Amanda,” Daniel corrected with a smile. “I can’t leave out Amanda, or she’d probably yell at me.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed. “She can be scary. But you probably should have let her try some magic thing instead of playing the sacrifice card.” He frowned, and Daniel grimaced before shooting a glare at him.</p>
<p>“Sacrifice card?” Mr. Miyagi wore the same disapproving frown. “What does he mean, Daniel-san?”</p>
<p>Hanging his head, Daniel sighed. “It was the middle of a fight, and I was panicking. I wanted to help! Distracting Silver seemed like the best chance for an opening. So, I,” he hunched his shoulders, anticipating the shouting that was sure to come, “let him put me under. He’s vulnerable when he’s doing it because he has to keep his focus on me. That gave Johnny the opportunity to rip Silver’s throat out.”</p>
<p>“And it was a damn dangerous thing to do!” Johnny pushed away from the doorframe, anger flashing through his eyes, though they remained their normal blue. “What if we hadn’t been able to bring you back? You said once it lasted for almost a week. What if with Silver dead, it had lasted forever?”</p>
<p>“Johnny-san is right. That was too risky, Daniel-san.”</p>
<p>Daniel slumped, hating that he disappointed his sensei. “I know. I just,” he hung his head, “hate feeling useless in a fight. I could never do anything against Silver because all he had to do was catch my eye and I wouldn’t be able to move. I didn’t want to be useless to Johnny.”</p>
<p>Johnny approached and wrapped his arms around Daniel from behind. “I never thought of you as useless. I just wanted you to be safe.” He pressed his face into the crook of Daniel’s neck and nuzzled him.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll be better about throwing myself into danger.” Daniel leaned back into Johnny’s strong, steady presence. When he caught the smile on Mr. Miyagi’s face, he flushed darkly and ducked his head.</p>
<p>Once the food was all cooked, they sat down around the table to eat. The meal was nice and relaxing. Daniel and Mr. Miyagi told Johnny a couple of stories from their travels around the world and meeting various supernatural creatures. Mr. Miyagi questioned Johnny his life, what he was doing now, what plans he had for the future. Johnny admitted he hadn’t really thought about the future. His life had felt like kind of a mess, being stuck in a toxic band, but recently things had greatly improved. He did all right with his handyman job, occasionally getting called in on big construction projects when more men were needed. He liked the work, liked working with his hands, even if the money wasn’t the greatest. Mr. Miyagi nodded his approval. As long as Johnny was happy with his work, that was the most important thing. Daniel agreed, remembering how much he hated some of his prior jobs, like working at the mini mart.</p>
<p>After they finished eating, Mr. Miyagi insisted on cleaning the dishes himself. Daniel pulled Johnny along on a tour of the house, which wasn’t a long tour since it wasn’t a very big house. Mr. Miyagi worked hard to keep it and the garden maintained, and Johnny seemed impressed by all the woodwork. Daniel smiled when he caught Johnny running his hand over the smooth wood here and there. His room was pretty much the same as he left it all those years ago. But Mr. Miyagi clearly came in and cleaned away the dust every now and then.</p>
<p>“Two time champion, but only one trophy.” Johnny placed a hand on the tall trophy sitting on a shelf. There was no hint of anger or bitterness from him as he stared at it.</p>
<p>“We left in a hurry after the ’85 tournament.” Daniel frowned, dropping down onto his bed. “Well, Mr. Miyagi got me out of there in a hurry after stopping Silver. I don’t want that trophy anyway. I won, and that felt good, but there’s just too many bad memories from that one. That,” he pointed at the trophy Johnny still held a hand to, “is the only trophy that means anything to me.” Then he smiled. “Because you handed it to me.”</p>
<p>“You’re a sap.” But his mouth tugged upward as Johnny walked over to him. Then he leaned over him, hands bracing on Daniel’s thighs, as he kissed him on the forehead.</p>
<p>They talked for a while longer. Daniel showed him some of the souvenirs from his first trip to Okinawa. The one new thing in the room since then was a trunk. Daniel opened it and handed Johnny the first sword he ever made. It wasn’t the most amazing thing, but he was still proud of the work he did. Johnny still seemed impressed by it. They spent maybe another hour with Johnny examining each of the weapons in the trunk.</p>
<p>When it got late, they said their good nights to Mr. Miyagi. He hugged them both, and Daniel didn’t miss how Mr. Miyagi pulled Johnny down to whisper in his ear. After they stepped outside, Daniel lifted an eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>Johnny poked him in the side. “He just wanted to tell me to take care of you.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Daniel followed Johnny over to the car.</p>
<p>The drive back to their apartment was a quiet one, Daniel feeling tired after all the big talks throughout the day. But more than that, the realization that he was truly safe from Silver was finally really hitting him. He relaxed back against the passenger’s seat, closing his eyes. He didn’t have to worry about packing up and fleeing ever again. He could work with Amanda to start up their own dealership and not feel guilty at the thought that he might have to leave.</p>
<p>Johnny had to wake him when they finally arrived at their apartment. Amanda and Carmen were there waiting for them as they walked up to their door.</p>
<p>“If this isn’t a good time, just say so,” Carmen said as Johnny unlocked the door. “But if you want, I can try to fix what was done.” She smiled sweetly.</p>
<p>Daniel only felt her desire to help and heal. “Uh, yeah, sure.” He bobbed his head, following Johnny into the apartment while Carmen and Amanda followed after him. “How does this work? I’ve never – No one’s ever said they could see what was wrong with me. I’ve run into some healers before, though they usually just helped with healing cuts and diseases.”</p>
<p>“I guess you could say my healing is a bit more special.” Carmen gestured for him to sit down on the couch. “Like I said, supernatural healing is something I’m pretty good at.” She sat down on the table, facing him.</p>
<p>Amanda and Johnny stood back, leaning against the wall behind the couch. Daniel swallowed, trying not to let the worry Johnny was exuding cause anxiety.</p>
<p>“What was done to you was something that affects your mind and powers.” Carmen reached out and placed two fingers on both of his temples. “All you have to do is look at me, relax, and let me do all the work.”</p>
<p>“O-Okay.” Daniel licked his lips as he wiped his sweaty palms over his knees. “Anything I should know first?”</p>
<p>“There could be a little discomfort, but it shouldn’t hurt. I just need to realign what was broken.”</p>
<p>Daniel nodded then tried to relax as he stared into Carmen’s eyes. It didn’t feel like anything was happening at first. Then a twinge made him wince. His fingers dug into his knees before he smoothed his hands out. Relax. Breathe in and out. There were more twinges, some barely noticeable and others making him flinch, but after a while, it was almost like he entered a trance.</p>
<p>“So, you knew about this?” Johnny asked, his voice muffled like it was reaching him through a wall of cotton.</p>
<p>“Of course,” Amanda replied. “I’ve never actually watched her do anything like this though. But it was one of the first things we talked about when we met. She could see right away that I was an emissary.”</p>
<p>Their words became more muffled until he could no longer distinguish the words being spoken. His eyelids felt heavy, but he couldn’t close them, couldn’t take his eyes away from Carmen’s brown eyes. He didn’t know how much time passed, but eventually he felt hands squeezing his own. Sucking in a deep breath, he screwed his eyes shut. They burned from being opened for so long without blinking. When he opened them, he stared at the other three.</p>
<p>“Did it work?”</p>
<p>“Do you have mental guards up?” Amanda asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Daniel’s brow knitted. “I mean, I try to always have them up.” When her gaze dipped, he followed it then blinked when he saw Carmen’s hands holding his. After a sluggish moment, his mouth dropped open as his brain finally caught up. “I’m not feeling her emotions!”</p>
<p>“You’re all fixed up.” Carmen smiled, and Daniel pulled her into a hug.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how I can ever thank you for this.” Daniel grinned, looking over her shoulder to Johnny, who smiled back with a soft look in his eyes.</p>
<p>“I’m just happy I could help.” Carmen squeezed him then pulled back from the hug.</p>
<p>“I think this at least calls for a celebratory drink.” Johnny walked over to the refrigerator. “Even if I can’t get drunk.” He made a face as he grabbed four bottles from the bottom shelf. They all laughed, taking the beers Johnny handed them.</p>
<p>Daniel settled onto the couch with Johnny beside him. He rested his head against Johnny’s shoulder while the others talked around him. Finally, it felt like he had a future he could see, one with happiness in it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Johnny pulled up and parked his car out front. Was he ready for this? The lump in his throat and his sweaty palms suggested he wasn’t. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, before he climbed out of the car. He made it a few steps toward the front entrance before he slowed to a stop. His smile was a bit forced, and his nervousness crept up a few notches as the woman approached him. Her mouth pressed thin, and her eyes narrowed, scrutinizing him with a quick once over.</p>
<p>“Sorry I didn’t meet you at the airport.” Johnny winced. “I just got off work, and-”</p>
<p>She held up her hand, and he almost swallowed his tongue, falling silent. She, at least, didn’t smell of bitter rage and hostility. “You already explained to me before that you wouldn’t be able to pick me up. And that’s quite all right. It gave me the chance to relax for a bit after flying in. And freshen up a bit.”</p>
<p>Johnny smiled. “And you do look lovely, Mrs. LaRusso.”</p>
<p>Mrs. LaRusso folded her arms, not seeming too impressed with his compliment. “You could have seriously permanently injured my son. You’re lucky it was only a mild dislocation that needed one surgery and a couple months of physical therapy.” Her eyes narrowed more. “Do you know how much that cost?”</p>
<p>Johnny grimaced, flinching at her words. At that time, as a stupid teenager who had grown used to living with money, he didn’t even think about the cost of inflicting such an injury on someone. He should have, though, he realized years later. He didn’t come from money, and he should have remembered how hard it was on his mother scraping money together to support them. He came to remember the pains of money after he was living on his own, no longer having any access to Sid’s money. Not that he wanted a single cent from that asshole.</p>
<p>“I’m very sorry, Mrs. LaRusso.” Johnny bowed his head. “My sensei instructed me to do it, and I know that’s no excuse. I should have been able to think for myself. I knew right from wrong, and I knew it was wrong to do it. But I was weak back then. I looked up to and admired my sensei. He made me feel strong and showed me love and care from a father role model that I didn’t have anywhere else in my life. I thought he cared about me, and I thought I needed to do what he said to make him proud of me. I wish I had realized sooner what a sad, pathetic, sick bastard he was. I wish I had realized it before ever hurting your son. I regret what I did back then.”</p>
<p>Mrs. LaRusso eyed him, her expression unchanging, but there was a shift in her scent as the seconds ticked by. Then she huffed. “If my son can forgive you, I suppose I can too.” She smiled, maybe a little too sweetly, as she reached up to pat her hand against his cheek. Johnny relaxed only minutely until her hand suddenly grabbed hold of his ear in a hard grip at that made him wince. “But if you ever hurt my baby boy again, you will suffer a fate worse than death.” Her icy glare sent chills down his spine.</p>
<p>“I promise!” Johnny said hurriedly, one eye squinting as she continued to hold onto his ear. “I only want to keep him safe!”</p>
<p>Mrs. LaRusso nodded then finally released his ear. “Good. And please, call me Lucille.” Then she strode past him, ignoring him as he rubbed at his poor ear.</p>
<p>Johnny hurried to open the passenger’s side door for her. Even if he was a werewolf, Mrs. LaRusso could be terrifying. He closed the door after she was settled into her seat. Then he climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the hotel.</p>
<p>“Sorry we had to put you up in a hotel,” Johnny said as he drove toward the apartment. “Our place isn’t that big, and other than the bed, there’s not really any other places to sleep.”</p>
<p>Mrs. LaRusso shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to intrude and have you boys feeling like you have to walk on eggshells around me while I’m here.” With a sigh, she lowered her gaze. “I’m just happy I’ll finally be seeing my Daniel again. Honestly, more than a decade, and he couldn’t even visit or call his dear old mother? I thought I raised him better than that.”</p>
<p>Johnny winced. He promised LaRusso he wouldn’t breathe a word about what happened to him to his mother. Even though he thought it would probably be a good idea to just be honest, Johnny could understand the hesitancy in telling Mrs. LaRusso the truth. LaRusso didn’t want his mother getting all worried about him, especially now that Silver was no longer a threat to him.</p>
<p>“I guess you’ll just have to give him a good scolding when you see him.”</p>
<p>“Perhaps tomorrow.” Mrs. LaRusso nodded. “Tonight, I just want to enjoy getting to see my baby boy again.”</p>
<p>Johnny relaxed when the conversation shifted to other topics. He asked Mrs. LaRusso about how things were in New Jersey. Apparently, her nephew was giving her a headache with some of the business schemes he was cooking up to make cash quick. But she was happy to be out in California again, away from the chilly winter weather. Thankfully, the reported snowstorm hadn’t hit yet, and she made it out of there without the plane getting delayed. Johnny told her about his job as a handyman and the gigs he did with the band. He couldn’t tell her about his other job. It wasn’t often, but sometimes, Mrs. Swanson would call him in to help out on a case when a rogue supernatural creature was stirring up trouble. LaRusso was still wary about revealing himself to the Hunters, but he admitted it could be good for them to stay on good terms with the Hunters. And Mrs. Swanson seemed to be on a side of keeping everyone safe, not killing innocent supernatural creatures.</p>
<p>The sun was setting when Johnny finally parked at the apartment complex. He got out of the car and rushed around to the other side to open the door. Mrs. LaRusso climbed out, patting his cheek with a, “You’re such a sweet boy.” Johnny sighed inwardly, relieved. Mrs. LaRusso didn’t seem to be holding onto a grudge toward him.</p>
<p>Johnny unlocked the door and pushed it open. “Please come in, Mrs. La-” He caught himself as she gave him a sharp look. “Lucille,” he corrected with a charming smile.</p>
<p>Mrs. LaRusso nodded with a pleased gleam in her eyes before he entered the apartment. Johnny followed after her, closing the door behind him. When he turned, he blinked in surprise. LaRusso was, of course, over in the kitchen working on dinner. Jimmy stood with him, tossing a salad. The couch was pushed to one wall, the coffee table in the corner, to make room for a large table. Bobby was busily setting all the dishes and silverware in front of each chair. Tommy and Dutch stood back, leaning against the wall while they laughed and joked and drank beer.</p>
<p>LaRusso snapped his head around after the door closed.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t expecting you home yet!” LaRusso complained, turning to wave a wooden spoon at him. “I mean, uh, surprise! Wait. Ma?” His scent shifted to match the emotions flashing through his eyes. Shock, a tinge of disappointment at being caught. Then nervousness with a touch of optimism for his big surprise. It was all followed by surprise mixed with overflowing happiness when his eyes finally landed on his mother.</p>
<p>Jimmy fumbled to take the wooden spoon LaRusso shoved at him. Then LaRusso rushed over to his mother, drawing her into a tight embrace. When he pulled back, he still held onto her arms.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here?” LaRusso smiled, wide and bright, his eyes shining.</p>
<p>“Well, Johnny here thought it would be a nice surprise if I came for a visit.” Mrs. LaRusso reached up to cup her son’s face then pinched his cheeks. “And you can bet I’m going to visit more often. I’ve missed my baby boy.”</p>
<p>“Ma!” LaRusso squirmed out of her hold, his cheeks red both from the pinching and his embarrassment. Dutch did a very poor job of hiding his snickering until Johnny shot him a glare, which was enough to make him stop and cough into his hand.</p>
<p>“It’s a day late, but I thought your mom coming to visit would be a nice birthday present,” Johnny explained, walking past Mrs. LaRusso so he could draw LaRusso in close to kiss him. It was short, and when he pulled back, his gaze drifted lower to the bandage still on LaRusso’s neck. A warm flush crept over his cheeks.</p>
<p>They had been together for months now. LaRusso and Amanda were finally getting their dealership up and running after all their hard work. Both were incredibly happy with their progress. The four of them went out to celebrate the night they signed the papers. LaRusso was very enthusiastic about celebrating in private later. Johnny recalled with a smirk. </p>
<p>But after their first time together, LaRusso had kept his mental guards up, thanks to Carmen fixing what Silver did to him. Most times, at least. He lowered them when they had sex on Johnny’s birthday, and again last night for his own birthday. Johnny bit his lip, remembering how much more intense it all was when LaRusso let himself be washed in feeling all of Johnny’s love for him. This time, when LaRusso asked to be bitten, Johnny knew what it meant. He asked LaRusso if he was sure, if he wanted it for real, a true mating bite, a lasting mark that would forever show everyone what they meant to each other. LaRusso kissed him sweetly on the mouth and said he had never felt more certain of anything in his life. That was all Johnny, and his wolf, needed to hear before sinking sharpened teeth into LaRusso’s tender flesh, tasting the coppery blood as the skin broke. It was an amazing and intense moment for both of them. LaRusso was still in a happy daze when they woke that morning.</p>
<p>“I love you, Johnny,” Dutch said, pointing at him with his hand holding a beer bottle. “But if the two of you start making out and groping each other, I will get the hose.”</p>
<p>Johnny laughed while LaRusso’s face darkened with a blush. He left LaRusso, who with his mother headed back to the kitchen to finish preparing their dinner. He walked over to where Dutch, Tommy, and Bobby, after he finished with setting the table, stood. He gave each of them a hug and accepted the beer Tommy handed him, even if it couldn’t give him a buzz anymore.</p>
<p>“What are you all doing here?” Johnny raised his eyebrow as he took a pull from the beer.</p>
<p>“Daniel invited us,” Bobby explained. “Said he wanted to do something special for you.”</p>
<p>Dutch chugged another big gulp from his beer. “You wouldn’t think he’d want to pick this day of all days though.”</p>
<p>Johnny frowned with a slight furrowing in his brow.</p>
<p>“December nineteenth,” Tommy explained.</p>
<p>Was it the nineteenth already? Johnny frowned in thought. Of course, it had to be when LaRusso’s birthday was yesterday, and he knew that was on the eighteenth. “Huh,” he said in realization. Then he shrugged. “There’s no hard feelings between us about the tournament. How things went down, what Kreese made us do, was shitty. I would have preferred a fair fight against LaRusso.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Bobby agreed, frowning into his beer.</p>
<p>Johnny nudged him his elbow. “You know, LaRusso forgives you for that. Anyway, he wouldn’t have picked this date for any kind of malicious reason. It was kind of an important day for all of us, even with the bad shit. It was the last time all of us ever fought as Cobra Kai. Last time any of the five of us participated in the All Valley tournament.” He glanced over to LaRusso, laughing with his mother and helping Jimmy with one of the dishes. “I think he just wants us to remember the good times we had together. The brotherhood we had at that time.” He looked back to them and smiled. “Because you are my brothers. I’ve never forgotten that.”</p>
<p>And he could tell, even if they had no idea about it themselves. Johnny felt the bonds of pack with them.</p>
<p>“LaRusso’s really made you sappy.” Dutch gave him a shove with his forearm, smirking like a jackass. Johnny rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“Jimmy, get your butt over here,” Tommy called.</p>
<p>“What is it?” Jimmy joined them, accepting the beer that got shoved into his hand.</p>
<p>“To brothers!” Tommy held up his beer.</p>
<p>Johnny grinned as he joined in the cheer, “Brothers!” They all clinked their bottles together.</p>
<p>Johnny relaxed as they fell into idle chatter, talking about the latest news happening in their lives, until LaRusso announced dinner was ready. They all sat down at the table, LaRusso sitting next to him. He took LaRusso’s hand, fingers laced together, before kissing the back of his hand. This was all he needed in his life, to be surrounded by his pack, his mate, his family. Not all of his pack was present, but that was okay. One day all of them would be together, but for now, he was satisfied with any time he got to spend with them. Johnny shared a smile with LaRusso, giving his hand a light squeeze, before they all dug into the feast prepared for them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>When I was writing the previous chapter, I really thought that would be the last one. Having Daniel end with being able to see a happy future for himself felt like a nice way to round out the story when it started with him not seeming to have a future. But I just couldn't end this without letting Daniel reunite with his mother and Johnny spending some time with his ex-Cobra brothers.</p>
<p>Hope you all enjoyed it! Thanks for reading~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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